British Waterways Board

HC Deb 28 July 1998 vol 317 cc116-7W

Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the responsibilities of the British Waterways Board for its role in land drainage and flood relief; and what assessment he has made of the level of its annual grant in aid in respect of these functions. [52986]

Angela Eagle

In 1996 British Waterways (BW) and the Environment Agency submitted a joint report to the Department following a series of regional reviews of operational arrangements of the river navigations under their control. These reviews looked at emergency and contingency planning, including arrangements for flood defence. The report concluded that relationships at the local level between the two organisations were good and that BW and the Agency were working well together in many areas. A copy of the report was placed in the Library.

BW receives annual grant-in-aid to manage and operate the canal and river navigations for which it is responsible. No direct payments are made to BW in respect of its flood defence and land drainage responsibilities.