Questions about Canal & River Trust in the House

BOATERS writing to their MP's about the new Canal & River Trust is resulting in questions being asked in the House of Commons, one asked this week concerning the assurance of a debate on the change.

Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Waterways, Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston) asked: 'As honourable  members on both sides of the House would agree, some good progress has been made towards the changing structure of British Waterways and our fantastic canal network; however, discussions are ongoing on the transitional funds for the new Trust. Can we be assured that there will be a debate in the House to deal with those important questions before any irrevocable decisions are taken?'

Public Bodies Bill

To which Sir George Young responded: 'I understand that the matter may be subject to the Public Bodies Bill, which is still going through Parliament. I will bring the honourable gentleman's concern to the attention of my right honourable and honourable friends at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and seek to get the assurance he wants about the assets that are about to be transferred'.

Our Allan Richards has often prompted boaters to write to their MPs about the problems facing the move of British Waterways to charitable status as Canal & River Trust, that obviously gets results.