Chamber and committees

SEPA, as required by the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, prepared Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) for the period 2022-2028. These were approved by Scottish Ministers and published in January 2022. The FRMPs have been developed to ensure all efforts to reduce flood risk are coordinated. The Plans outline the long term ambition by setting objectives and identifying actions for areas most at flood risk. The Local Flood Risk Management Plans, which are complementary to the FRMPS and prepared by local authorities, are due to be published by December 2022. They will provide more detail on how the actions set out in the flood risk management plans for 2022-2028 will be delivered.

There are multiple organisations responsible for flood risk management and the Plans focus their efforts to where the risk of flooding and benefits of actions are greatest. SEPA do not undertake or fund flood risk management works themselves. Funding is provided either by the organisation undertaking the work, such as the local authority, or by the Scottish Government. In recognition of the importance of reducing flood risk the Scottish Government has provided, since 2008, a total of £42 million a year through the General Capital Grant to local authorities to allow them to invest in flood protection schemes. In addition the 2020 Programme for Government committed an additional £150 million over the course of this Parliament for flood risk management actions.