§ Sir Marcus Kimballasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if, in view of the fact that Gainsborough bridge over the Trent is the internationally recognised limit of navigable waters in the Trent, he will revise his Department's view that Walkerith ferry is the limit of tidal influence in the river rather than Gainsborough bridge;
(2) what reply he has sent to a formal request, on behalf of the Severn-Trent water authority, for a review of the sea defence limit on the River Trent.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe demarcation point on a river for the purpose of determining eligibility for supplementary land drainage grant is the point at which the tide ceases to be the dominant influence affecting flooding. The present demarcation point on the River Trent, at Walkerith ferry, was agreed with the predecessor to the Severn-Trent water authority in 1954. The authority has asked for the point to be reviewed, but has not yet submitted any convincing evidence in support of a change. My Department will shortly invite it to submit such evidence so that its request may be fully considered.
The limit of navigable water is not necessarily a relevant factor in determining tidal flood risk.