§ 19. Sir. Anthony DurantTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage is she will make a statement on the support from the millennium fund to British Waterways. [16716]
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Millennium Commission has supported one project from the British Waterways Board: the millennium link project to reinstate navigation between the Forth and Clyde and Union canals, which has been offered a grant of £32.2 million. The heritage lottery fund made an award of £25 million to the British Waterways Board for the Kennet and Avon canal.
The commission has supported four other waterways projects: the Ribble link in Lancashire; the Rochdale canel; the Huddersfield narrow canal; and the new lock at Great Conard, Suffolk. In total, canal projects have been offered £61.8 million by the commission.