UK flood defences need improvement: report

A report by the UK's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that the government is not collecting enough data to assess whether it is meeting its 2020 ambition to enhance the country's long-term flood defences. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) lacks a numerical target to achieve resilience to future flood and coastal erosion risk. Environment Agency forecasts indicate that 40% fewer properties will receive flood protection than planned due to inflation and bureaucratic hurdles. The PAC expresses concern that smaller and rural communities are particularly at risk, and new housing is being built in high flood risk areas without adequate mitigations. (Engineering and Technology)