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Andrew Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library the risk
assessment carried out by his Department prior to his reductions in funding for
the current year of (a) British Waterways and (b) the Environment Agency; and
if he will make a statement.
Barry Gardiner:
Defra is having to operate within
a tight financial regime and earlier this year asked its delivery bodies to
accept reductions in grant in aid during 2006-07 to help manage a number of
pressures. As part of this process, officials engaged with British Waterways
and the Environment Agency to discuss the implications of the funding cuts,
including risk. Part of the discussions centred on how they might be managed to
minimise the impact on key priorities and outcomes.
Andrew Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the
impact of 2006-07 budget reductions to British Waterways; and if he will make a
statement.
Barry Gardiner:
The Government have received
representations from British Waterways as well as a wide range of hon. Members
and key stakeholders since announcing the budget reductions for British
Waterways (BW) for 2006-07. The representations have taken the form of
meetings, correspondence and parliamentary questions.
Andrew Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact
of the mid-year reduction in funding to British Waterways on the navigability
of the Cheshire Ring of canals by boaters; and if he will make a statement.
Barry Gardiner:
This is an operational matter
for British Waterways. However they have advised that they do not anticipate
the mid-year reduction in funding to have an impact on the navigability of the
Cheshire Ring. The winter maintenance programme for 2006-07 will continue as
planned
EDITOR'S NOTE
The last sentence of the above must
refer specifically to the Cheshire Ring.
As a general statement it would
not be true.
I'm not sure of the date of these questions. |
