§ Mr. Macfarlaneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about Government policy towards the use of waterways.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe Government's policy remains to encourage the transfer of as much freight as possible from road to waterways wherever it is economically, socially and environmentally sensible to do so. We recognise, however, that the future role of the waterways for freight carrying is limited and that the emphasis in their use is now clearly leisure and recreation. In the consultative document on the Review of the Water Industry published in March, we put forward for discussion the proposal that the British Waterways Board should be merged with a new National Water Authority which would then become the nucleus of a national navigation authority.