Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make Government grants to landowners who own navigation rights on fast moving inland water dependent on their granting navigation rights for non-powered craft. [43328]
§ Alun MichaelWe recently published the findings of research about water-based sport and recreation. One possibility raised in the report was for the introduction of revised funding arrangements for riparian owners in targeted locations to allow public access to their waterspace.
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 to consider what action to take in the light of the report's findings. I shall be considering the outcome of the meeting with my ministerial colleagues. I shall also be interested to hear the hon. Member's views when we meet later this month.