Steve Haywood wrote:
> On 03/11/06, Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Sir Peter Soulsby MP has been successful in getting adjournment debate
>> on waterways funding in Westminster Hall from 2.30pm to 4pm on Wednesday
>> 8th November.
>
>
>
> Err...Sean announced this a couple of days ago. Good news though.
>
I think you will find it was yesterday Steve, the point of my post was
to encourage people to write their MPs to attend. I am also aware that
this point was made by Nigel; its important enough to be re-inforced.
> Have you heard any news about the future cuts yet? I hear there's likely to
> be good news there too.
>
There is a slew of new stuff coming out: almost to fast to absorb it all
(its seems we are definitely having an effect)
for example:
There have been ministerial answers to four written questions published
today, set out below. I also copy the full transcript of yesterday’s
DEFRA oral questions underneath.
Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs if he will carry out an impact study on the effect on
British Waterways of the proposed reduction in its funding from his
Department.
Mr. Bradshaw: Government have consulted closely with British Waterways
on the financial pressures facing DEFRA and the impact these will have
on it.
It is important to understand that British Waterways restructuring plans
predated the one off in-year savings exercise that took 7 per cent. out
of British Waterways 2006-07 grant in aid. These restructuring plans
came on top of major investment by this Government which, in addition to
£42 million to address the safety backlog, has reduced the general
maintenance backlog from £270 million to just £119 million.
The restructuring will bring a greater focus to customer service on the
bankside, improvements to business efficiency and to address the recent
reductions in Government funding.
---
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs what discussions he has had with British Waterways on the
implications for safety of the reductions in staff allocated to
operating bridges and locks.
Mr. Bradshaw: This is an operational matter for British Waterways (BW).
BW’s priorities are to secure the safety and integrity of the network
and they have assured me that there are no implications for health and
safety.
---
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs when British Waterways was first informed of its budget
allocations for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [97647]
Mr. Bradshaw: As part of Spending Review 2004, British Waterways was
given an indicative budget allocation for 2006-07 in April 2004. British
Waterways was formally notified of its resource allocation for 2006-07
on 12 April 2006.
Following an in-year review of DEFRA’s budgets, the Secretary of State
formally notified the Board of its revised funding allocation on 27 July
2006. Budget allocations for 2007-08 will be issued shortly.
---
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs what grant in aid has he allocated to British Waterways in each
of the next four financial years. [97648]
Mr. Bradshaw: British Waterways’ grant in aid allocation for 2007-08
will be issued shortly. No decisions have yet been made on levels of
funding over the Spending Review period from 2008-09 up to 2010-11. This
is subject to the Her Majesty’s Treasury timetable for a comprehensive
spending review which is scheduled to conclude in the summer of 2007.
------
Please see below the full transcript of yesterday’s DEFRA oral questions:
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): If he will make a statement on the
future of British inland waterways. [98809]
Ben Bradshaw, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: The Government’s policy on inland
waterways was set out in our policy document, “Waterways for Tomorrow”.
Public funding for Britain’s inland waterways has increased
substantially since Labour came to power.
Michael Fabricant: I know that the Minister shares my belief that our
inland waterways not only provide a marvellous resource for tourists but
generate income, including overseas income from the many people from
abroad who use our canals. How can he reconcile that with cutting 180
staff from British Waterways?
Mr. Bradshaw: As my colleagues and I have indicated, the Department is
having to make difficult and painful decisions, and very few parts of
our Department or its delivery agencies are unaffected. The budget cuts
made to British Waterways this year pale into insignificance, however,
when set against its overall increase in funding in recent years. I am
somewhat surprised by the hon. Gentleman’s advocating British Waterways
having money, as I think that I am right in saying that he was one of a
number of Conservative Members who opposed British Waterways making
money from commercial development last year at Wood Wharf in London.
Mr. Bob Laxton (Derby, North) (Lab): Will my hon. Friend assure me that
any future savings in grant aid to British Waterways in the financial
year 2007-08 and beyond will not use as a baseline the 15 per cent.
budget reduction undertaken halfway through this financial year?
Mr. Bradshaw: All decisions about next year will be made in due course,
but I assure my hon. Friend that we will listen to representations, both
from him, as chairman of the all-party group on waterways, and from
other hon. Members. I recognise that they feel strongly about the
wonderful contribution that our inland waterways make, and thanks to
extra funding provided by the Government, we have managed to restore 200
miles of derelict canals, thereby providing a great resource. However,
all decisions must be considered in the round and balanced against other
demands on our budget.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey) (Con): I begin by paying tribute to my
hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant), who I know is
an ardent canal enthusiast and an active member of the Lichfield and
Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. Will the Minister explain why
British Waterways’ budget was cut this year?
Mr. Bradshaw: As has been explained on many occasions in the House, the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs needed to find just
over £200 million in savings this year, for a number of reasons, so all
our Department’s budgets have had to be examined, and most of them have
had to be reduced. However, as I said earlier, that is against a
backdrop of a massive increase in spending and investment on all the
issues mentioned—spending that was opposed, in every Budget, by the
Opposition.
Mr. Ainsworth: It is the reasons that I am after, because it is bad
enough that cuts of £200 million are being made, but it is even worse
that Ministers do not seem to know why. On 25 October, the Minister for
Sustainable Farming and Food told Radio 4 listeners that the “biggest
chunk of it”—that is, the cut—“is down to a change in Treasury
accounting”, and that the problems at the Rural Payments Agency
accounted for considerably less than a quarter of the cuts. The very
next day, the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment explained
to Radio 4 that the cuts were “a direct result of overspending on avian
influenza and some of the problems we’ve had with the RPA”.
So what lies behind the budget cuts that we heard about today—one dead
swan, the shambles at the Rural Payments Agency, or the Chancellor of
the Exchequer? Or is it just business as usual at a Department that has
become a byword for incompetence?
Mr. Bradshaw: About £10 million of the money that we had to find arises
from the very good work that we have done in preventing outbreaks of
avian flu, and containing outbreaks that have occurred. I thinkthat I am
right in saying that about £23 million of the £200 million-plus that is
needed is a result of issues connected with the RPA. The rest is needed
for other reasons that have already been made plain in numerous answers
to questions from hon. Members.
--
Will Chapman
Save Our Waterways
www.SaveOurWaterways.org.uk
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