In a report on flood management by the House of Commons Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA), the Committee makes a series of recommendations for policy amendments, and criticises the lack of government investment in risk management.

Since 2010, when the Coalition took power, flood management and defences suffered spending cuts of 25 percent year-on-year, until 2012 when Britain was wracked by severe floods throughout the year.

In its report, the Committee highlights the effects of drastic spending cuts in the run up to last year's floods and laments the government's failure to secure enough private funding for flood defences.

The report, released on Thursday outlines a series of policy measures, including:

• Securing a better balance between revenue and capital funding for flood risk management and;
• Ensuring the Environment Agency conducts necessary maintenance of watercourses so as to minimise flood risk to local communities;
• It also seeks an amendment of the scoring system, placing a higher value on the benefits delivered by agricultural land, to make this land eligible for more flood defence funding.

The recommendations were welcomed by the NFU, which said, "Farmers and growers will see the benefits to farmland at risk of flooding if the recommendations of a new report on flood management are implemented by Government."

Committee Chair Anne McIntosh said, "Record rainfall in the past two years has led to extensive flooding, cost  the economy millions and caused  disruption and distress to householders and communities across the UK. 

"Additional capital funding for flood defences is welcome since every £1 spent on flood defences to protect communities spurs growth and delivers economic benefits worth £8. But spending on flood defences has not kept pace with rising risks from more frequent severe weather. The Chancellor must ensure that investment increases by £20 million year on year. We need that money  over the next 25 years to protect homes and businesses better. Maintenance of these defences and effective dredging of watercourses must be a priority."

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said, "We hope that today's report by MPs acts as a call to arms for the Government to invest further in the essential maintenance of watercourses and embed the true value of farming within the prioritisation of flood defence spending."