Over the last few months, Plaid Cymru designated Member Siân Gwenllian and I have been working closely to develop the scope, approach to delivery and draft terms of reference for securing the co-operation agreement commitment to commission an independent review of local government section 19 reports and Natural Resources Wales reports into extreme flooding in the winter of 2020-21. So, I am pleased to announce today that Professor Elwen Evans QC has agreed to lead this review. Professor Evans is one of the UK's leading criminal barristers. She led the prosecution in the April Jones murder case and the defence team in the Gleision mine disaster case. Having recently led the independent review of the Mayhill riots last year, Professor Evans brings substantial experience and authority to this review, and I am delighted that she has agreed to lead it.

Section 19 investigations are an integral part of Wales's flood risk management framework, mandating local authorities to assess the causes of significant events of flooding and enabling them to provide data models, improve maintenance regimes or identify alleviation works or measures. There is no statutory time frame for undertaking or completing section 19 investigations, but our flood strategy makes clear that they should be proportionate to the scale of flooding and take account of the understanding of the issues or the type of remediation measure needed. Professor Evans's review will consider all the available evidence provided in the section 19 reports and NRW's own review into the flooding during 2020-21, and its impacts and how this might inform priorities for flood risk management in the future. The review will focus on assessing and prioritising the recommendations made in the different reports and will identify recommendations for action by the relevant organisations.

In particular, Professor Evans’s review will consider key findings, shared concerns, identify areas for improvement and good practice, successes and lessons learned. The review will build on previous reviews, look at other relevant reports, Senedd committee findings and national policy, such as the Wales flood strategy, making best use of resources and maximising value for money. The designated Member and I have asked Professor Evans to consider the support required to undertake the review and the timescales for delivery. We are going to allow Professor Evans sufficient time to gather and assess the available evidence before she comes to a conclusion about how long the review will take, so that it can offer a meaningful and robust conclusion. I look forward to receiving the findings of the review so the designated Member and I can consider how best to act on its recommendations.

The effects of climate change mean that the pressure on our existing infrastructure will increase significantly. With that in mind, work is also in hand to progress the other co-operation agreement objective in relation to flooding—the commitment to invite the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales to assess how the nationwide likelihood of flooding of homes, businesses and infrastructure can be minimised by 2050. In his recent remit letter, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change asked Dr David Clubb, chair of the NICW, to take forward this commitment. NICW's work programme is now being finalised. The designated Member and I will be discussing this further to help inform the scope and focus of the NICW review. A public appointments process to appoint NICW commission members is now under way, and we will be making a further announcement in the next few weeks. In parallel, Wales's independent flood and coastal erosion committee, chaired by Martin Buckle, is taking forward two separate reviews prescribed by our flood strategy. The first, which is nearing completion, has explored the financial resources available to flood risk management authorities to help maximise access to funding and investment opportunities to support flood delivery. I anticipate the committee's final report will be submitted in June.

In reflecting on the devastating flood impacts across Wales in early 2020, the flood strategy recognised that while there is a robust legislative framework, the understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different bodies are not entirely straightforward for the public. The second review being undertaken by the flood committee is focused on assessing the scope of current flood risk management responsibilities and the need for legislative changes. The committee will be embarking on a consultation on its draft report in June, with the final report being submitted to the Welsh Government this autumn. These reviews form a part of the Welsh Government's response in adapting to increasing flood and water-related risks arising from climate change. They will complement our investment programmes, new planning guidance on flooding, initiatives to enhance sustainable drainage systems and nature-based solutions, in addition to the legislative reforms we are bringing forward to improve coal tip safety. 

The impacts of climate change are already being felt across our society and the natural environment, and we can expect risks to increase in the decades ahead, even as we work to cut our emissions and limit further global warming. In addition to the increasing flood risk, we can also expect greater impacts from storms, heatwaves, drought and wildfires. Our response to flood risk is part of our holistic approach to build resilience to the far-reaching impacts of climate change across all communities and sectors. At the same time, we are determined to ensure fairness, both in terms of how the impacts of climate change itself are felt across society and the globe, and in terms of the burden of measures we take to address it.

This Government and Plaid Cymru are working together in the best interest of our communities to learn from the past, make changes where these are necessary and develop good practices. The outcome of the reviews we're announcing today will enable us to improve on how we deliver flood protection to reduce flood risk for everyone in Wales. Diolch.