Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 14 February 2002,Official Report, column 648W, how much additional access to white water inland rivers the report Water-based Sport and Recreation estimates is necessary: and if he will make a statement. [39321]
§ Alun MichaelThe report identified an imbalance between supply of and demand for white water for canoeists, particularly in south-east England. The report did not identify how much additional access was needed.
Officials recently met the other sponsors of the research (British Waterways, the Countryside Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and Sport England) and other interested Government Departments and we are considering what action to take in the light of the report's findings.