Written questions on CaRT funding
MICHAEL Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group (APPWG) has continued to press Defra to make an announcement on CaRT future funding.
Following a parliamentary debate on the future of the UK's canals and waterways on Tuesday 22nd November 2022 where a decision was promised 'forthwith' (Decision 'forthwith' on CaRT funding), Fabricant (pictured) has kept the pressure up by submitting no less than four written questions on 6th December.
Allan Richards documents the questions and responses:
Written question 1
"To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her review of the future grant funding for the Canal & River Trust post-2027 will conclude; and whether she will publish that review once concluded."
Written question 2
"To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has timescale, as made an assessment of the potential impact of reducing funding for UK waterways and reservoirs on the (a) level of risk faced by communities and (b) economic, social and environmental afforded to areas near those waterways and reservoirs."
Written question 3
"To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment as part of the review of the Canal & River Trust's future grant funding of the potential impact of climate change on the cost of maintenance and repair of waterways."
Written question 4
"To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the progress made by the Canal & River Trust on growing alternative income sources to its grant funding."
Rebecca Pow answers
On December 14th, Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (pictured) provided the same answer to all four questions:
"The Government currently provides an annual grant of over £50 million to the Canal and River Trust, guaranteed until 2027. We are undertaking a review of the grant, as required by the 2012 Grant Agreement. The review is assessing whether the grant is providing value for money and whether there is a case for continued government funding beyond the end of the grant period in 2027. As the review is ongoing, I am unable to provide specific details. The outcome of the review will be announced when it has concluded."
What happened to 'forthwith'?
Noticeably absent from Pow's answers is any indication that government will publish a report. Also absent is any indication of timescale.
What happened to 'forthwith'?