Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw gives a written answer to a question about funding for DEFRA's arm's length bodies.
Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey, Conservative):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding was provided by his Department to each of its arm's length bodies and gross controlled agencies in each of the last three years; what the annual variation in real terms was in each case; and if he will make a statement.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DEFRA):
| Arm's length bodies (shown in £millions) | |||||
| 2005-06 Budget | 2006-07 Budget | Real terms Variance 2005-06 to 2006-07 |
2007-08 Budget | Real terms Variance 2006-07 to 2007-08 |
|
| RBG Kew | 24.90 | 24.90 | -0.7 | 25.20 | -0.51 |
| Food From Britain | 5.37 | 4.97 | -0.6 | 5.03 | -0.10 |
| British Waterways | 62.60 | 55.40 | -9.3 | 57.55 | 0.35 |
| WRAP | 68.21 | 65.51 | -4.8 | 59.00 | -8.63 |
| ENCAMS | 5.54 | 5.11 | -0.6 | 5.01 | -0.26 |
| Carbon Trust | 60.60 | 78.30 | 16.5 | 90.66 | 9.82 |
| Energy Savings Trust | 26.45 | 26.70 | -0.5 | 28.69 | 1.12 |
| National Parks | 42.13 | 43.12 | -0.2 | 44.74 | 0.22 |
| National Forest Co. | 4.20 | 3.30 | -1.1 | 3.35 | -0.06 |
| Natural England | — | 194.57 | — | 181.02 | -19.87 |
| Environment Agency | 572.10 | 658.30 | 72.1 | 734.89 | 55.20 |
| Total | 872.09 | 1,160.16 | 271.6 | 1,235.14 | 37.27 |
| Gross controlled agencies (shown in £millions) | |||||
| RPA Operations | 215.0 | 232.6 | 11.8 | 264.3 | 24.1 |
| Marine and Fisheries Agency | 21.5 | 25.1 | 3.1 | 24.7 | -1.2 |
| Animal Health | 91.4 | 101.8 | 8.0 | 112.2 | 7.1 |
| Govt Decontamination Service | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 2.6 | -0.8 |
| Total | 330.4 | 362.8 | 23.6 | 403.8 | 29.2 |
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw gives a written answer to a question about waterways funding.
David Drew (Stroud, Labour):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will conduct a further review of the funding and financing of British Waterways.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DEFRA):
Following the announcement of the Government's comprehensive spending review, DEFRA is now going through a business planning process, during which the budget for British Waterways (BW) will be determined for the next three years. As part of this process, we are working with BW to understand the implications of different levels of spending. While we do not anticipate a further review of BW funding at present, BW, with our support, is currently undertaking a review of its status as a public corporation to identify whether or not a different structure might be more beneficial, for example through enabling greater investment in the waterways. source
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw gives a written answer to questions about British Waterways' withdrawal from the Cotswold Canals partnership.
Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands, Labour):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1) what assessment he has made of the effects of the cessation of funding of the Cotswold Canals restoration by British Waterways on the existing funding for the project; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what discussions he has had with British Waterways on their decision to cease funding for the Cotswold Canals restoration;
(3) what discussions British Waterways had with (a) the Secretary of State and (b) other funding partners before announcing the cessation of funding to the Cotswold Canals restoration.
David Drew (Stroud, Labour):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1) when the decision of British Waterways to withdraw from the Cotswold Canals Partnership was first communicated to him;
(2) what impact assessments he has undertaken of the decision by British Waterways to withdraw from the Cotswolds Council Partnership.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DEFRA):
On Monday 28 January, DEFRA officials advised me that British Waterways (BW) had informed them that the board had decided to withdraw from the Cotswold Canal Partnership. BW asked that we allow them time to inform their staff and the most affected stakeholders in advance of the Press Notice which was issued on Monday 4 February.
We have always made it clear that, whilst we welcomed the project, this was a matter for the BW board. I was aware that BW had many new pressures on their budget, particularly in relation to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal breach, and that they were concerned at their overall level of exposure. It is for the BW board to decide how best to manage risk, taking into account both the interests of all stakeholders and BW's public policy objectives. source
Lord Privy Seal gives an answer to a question concerning British Waterways' withdrawal from the Cotswold Canals partnership.
David Drew (Stroud, Labour):
On Monday this week, British Waterways announced that it was pulling out of the Cotswold Canal Partnership, which is a major project to reopen a canal that is mainly in my constituency. The news was given really peremptorily by British Waterways, even to the Minister who has line responsibility for the matter. May we have a debate on the relationship between public bodies such as British Waterways, Government Ministers and this place, to discuss how such decisions are reached and whether we could be afforded the courtesy of some forward knowledge of them, so that we could prepare to deal with difficult situations such as these?
Harriet Harman (Lord Privy Seal, House of Commons):
My hon. Friend's point touches on the important issue of national agencies making decisions in a locality or region that will have a profound effect on that region. There is sometimes a sense that they are not accountable to the people in the region or locality who will have to suffer the consequences of their action. That is why we are going to bring to the House proposals for regional accountability, in which I know that my hon. Friend will play an important part. Meanwhile, I will bring the question of British Waterways to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. source
DEFRA Minister Lord Rooker gives a written answer to a question about funding provided to British Waterways.
Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat):
What was the total funding provided to British Waterways in the past five years; what is its budget for the current year; and what is the proposed funding in 2008-09?
Lord Rooker (Minister of State, DEFRA):
The formal Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for 2008-09 to 2010-11 has been announced and will now be followed by Defra's own financial allocation process, which will take account of the department's full range of priorities. Final allocations will be known in February. At this stage, I am hopeful that the budget for British Waterways will broadly be flat cash over the three-year period.
Core government grant for British Waterways for the current year is £66.9 million comprising £55.5 million from Defra and £11.4 million from the Scottish Government. Other sources of funding include its commercial income of just under £100 million and grants from a range of sources; for example, for freight and regeneration activities.
| Year | Defra grant | Scottish Govt Grant | Total (£m) | |
| 2002-03 | 71.6 | 13.8 | 85.4 | |
| 2003-04 | 76.6 | 12.6 | 89.2 | |
| 2004-05 | 59.1 | 12.7 | 71.8 | |
| 2005-06 | 62.6 | 12.0 | 74.6 | |
| 2006-07 | 55.5 | 12.4 | 67.9 | |
| ( 2007-08 | 55.5 | 11.4 | 66.9 ) |
DEFRA Minister Phil Woolas gives a written answer to a question about public spending on canals.
Bob Spink (Castle Point, Conservative):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) economic and (b) other effects of public spending on canals with particular reference to effects on (i) regeneration, (ii) flood management and (iii) tourism and leisure.
Phil Woolas (Minister of State, DEFRA):
We fully recognise the economic, environmental and social benefits of the inland waterways and the role they can play in supporting Government objectives in health, recreation, regeneration, social inclusion, conservation of heritage and the environment. British Waterways has been involved in over £2 billion worth of urban and rural regeneration over the last decade and a further £7 billion of waterside regeneration is under way. Its canals also contribute to flood mitigation. In terms of tourism and leisure use, there were 268 million visits to British Waterways last year by boaters, anglers, cyclists and walkers.
DEFRA is working with British Waterways to agree a sustainable and affordable strategy for the waterways while maximising public benefits from the resources available. source
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw gives a written answer to a question about waterways funding.
Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the likely effect of funding reductions for inland waterways on tourism; and if he will make a statement.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DEFRA):
I have received correspondence from a wide range of stakeholders regarding the funding of British Waterways, and its public benefits. source
Secretary of State Hilary Benn gives an oral answer to a question about waterways funding.
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield, Conservative):
If a canal bursts its banks, there can be tens of millions of pounds worth of collateral damage as a consequence. The Secretary of State will know that past DEFRA cuts have meant that British Waterways has a huge backlog of canal maintenance. Can he tell us now whether British Waterways will continue to suffer the retail prices index minus 5 per cent. cuts, and when will it be in a position to say that its finances are finally secured?
Hilary Benn (Secretary of State, DEFRA):
I accept the point that the hon. Gentleman makes about the maintenance of the canal network. As he will know, we have provided £452 million in grant since 2000 for waterways in England and Wales. Final allocations for the first years of the comprehensive spending review period have not yet been decided, but that will happen early in the new year, when we have considered all the representations that have been made, including the ones that he has made to me. source
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw gives a written answer to a question about waterways funding.
Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative):
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on an application for provision of additional funding for inland waterways.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DEFRA):
I receive correspondence from a wide range of stakeholders regarding funding for the inland waterways. DEFRA sponsors the three largest navigation authorities - British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority.
The formal comprehensive spending review settlement for 2008-09 to 2010-11 for Departments has been announced. This will now be followed by DEFRA's own financial allocation process which is based on careful prioritisation across the Department and all its sponsored bodies. We are actively engaging delivery partners in this, but most final allocations, including those for the Environment Agency and British Waterways, will not be known until the new year after further discussions within DEFRA. source