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Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey, Conservative): On the
protection of waterways, will the Secretary of State confirm that, owing to
cuts in the DEFRA budget, British Waterways is in the process of making 180
people redundant?
David Miliband (Secretary of State, Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): I noticed that the Press Association
referred to the figure of 180—I assume that that is where the hon.
Gentleman has taken it from—although I have not been able to confirm it.
British Waterways' budget, which has gone up to £190 million during this
year, has, I think, risen three or fourfold in the past seven or eight years.
It has had to bear some of the brunt of the difficulties with DEFRA's finances
and I make no apology for that.
The Editor comments
The Secretary of State makes it sound as though the
£190m figure is the Government's grant to BW. It's not - that's about
£62m. The £190m figure may or may not be that for BW's total income
from all sources, including thigs like lecences and mpoorings and from their
property portfolio. |
