§ Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a start will be made on the backlog of repairs and maintenance to the canal system in the West Midlands.
§ Mr. MarksFollowing settlement of the British Waterways Board's pay dispute on 5 March the situation has now returned to normal throughout the inland waterways system. Work has been resumed on repair and maintenance in the West Midlands area.
As regards the closures in this area which it is hoped to reopen this year, work has started on Tyrley cutting and should be completed by June, and work will start shortly on the Evitts Valley embankment and be completed about 323W three months later. It is not possible at this stage to say when the Coventry Arm will be reopened.