British Waterways to be abolished

A LEAKED  Cabinet Office document published by the Daily Telegraph has revealed that British Waterways is indeed on the list of  public bodies, known as quangos, that will be abolished by the new government.

The complete list comprises of some 177 quangos, with British Waterways' name appearing under the heading  'Bodies to be abolished', that also includes that of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council that we had already revealed.

Environment Agency could be safe

A surprise is that the Environment Agency comes under the heading of 'Bodies still under review', and therefore could be saved, but there are no  waterways bodies under 'Bodies to be retained'.

The government has promised it would smash the 'gravy train' of the many quangos introduced by the previous government, with their colossal waste of public money on many useless bodies, and their highly paid officials, though in actual fact neither British Waterways nor the Environment Agency are technically quangos, being left over from nationalisation.

'Third way'

Very much is now being made of the 'third way', by the use of volunteers to take the jobs of British Waterways' staff, but this appears to many, and especially to narrowboatworld contributors to be a retrograde step, leaving the welfare of a 200 years old system in the hands of untrained amateurs.

British Waterways Chief Executive Robin Evans has been quick to attempt to quell his staff's concerns:

"You may have heard news reports this morning that British Waterways is one of the public bodies facing the axe as part of next month's government spending review. This is part of the inevitable speculation that happens before such reviews.

‘I know this is unsettling and so I want to share with you what I believe will happen—based on close discussion with ministers and officials.

‘The Westminster government is very close to making a firm decision to go ahead with our proposal to move BW's waterways into a charity. We expect an announcement about that in more detail next month. This would be a tremendous result for us as it adopts the strategy we have argued for during the last 18 months.

"Clearly there are still a great many areas to look at before a major move like this can take place: The new trust will need governance structures put into place and the level of future government funding through a contract will need to be agreed. Defra is looking at the possible inclusion of EA navigations and the Scottish government will want to consider the inclusion of Scottish waterways."

However the Environment Agency refused to drawn, offering no comment.

For those of you interested in the  public bodies  to be abolished, here is the list of all 177:

Administrative Justice and Tribunal Council

Advisory Board on the Registration of Homeopathic Products

Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens

Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections

Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances

Advisory Committee on Carbon Abatement Technologies

Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites

Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships

Advisory Committee on Organic Standards

Advisory Committee on Packaging

Advisory Committee on Pesticides

Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection

Advisory Committee on the safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs

Advisory Council on Libraries

Advisory Group on Hepatitis

Advisory Panel on Local Innovation Awards

Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate

Agricultural Dwelling House Committees (16 bodies)

Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales

Agricultural Wages Committees (15 bodies)

Air Quality Expert Group

Alcohol Education and Research Council

Animal Welfare Advisory Committee

Appointments Commission

Audit Commission

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency

British Nuclear Fuels

British Shipbuilders

British Waterways

Capacity Builders

Caribbean Board

Churches Conservation Trust

Commission for Integrated Transport

Commission for Rural Communities

Commissioner for the Compact

Committee on Agricultural Valuation

Committee on Carcogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

Committee on Medical Aspects of Air Pollutants

Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment

Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

Committee on the Safety of Devices

Commons Commissioners

Consular Stakeholder Panel

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

Courts Boards (19 bodies)

Crown Court Rule Committee

Cycling England

Darwin Advisory Committee

Disability Employment Advisory Committee

Disability Living/Attendance Allowance Advisory Board

Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee

Expert Advisory Group on HIV/AIDS

Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards

Farm Animal Welfare Council

Food from Britain

Foreign Compensation Commission

Gene Therapy Advisory Committee

General Social Care Council

General Teaching Council for England

Genetics and Insurance Committee

Government Hospitality Advisory Committee on the Purchase of Wines

Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board

Health Protection Agency

Hearing Aid Council

Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee

HM Inspectorate of Court Administration

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

Human Genetics Commission

Human Tissue Authority

Independent Advisory Group of Sexual Health and HIV

Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy

Independent Living Fund

Independent Review Panel for the Classification of Borderline Products

Independent Review Panel on the Advertising of Medicines

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Inland Waterways Advisory Council

Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations

Legal Deposit Advisory Panel

Legal Services Commission

Legal Services Ombudsman

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation

Main Honours Advisory Committee

Magistrates' Court Rule Committee

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council

National Housing and Planning Advice Unit

National Information Governance Board

National Joint Registry Steering Committee

National Policing Improvement Agency

National Standing Committee for Farm Animal Genetic Resources

National Tenant Voice

National Endowment for Science, Technology and Arts

Office for the Civil Society Advisory Bodies

Olympic Park Legacy Company

Pesticides Residues Committee

Public Guardian Board

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Railway Heritage Committee

Regional Development Agencies (8 bodies)

Renewables Advisory Board

Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution

School Food Trust

School Support Staff Negotiating Body

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

Security Commission

Security Industry Authority

SITPRO

Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee

Standards Board for England

Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property

Sustainable Development Commission

Teachers TV Board

The Theatres Trust

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation

UK Chemical Weapons Convention National Authority Advisory Committee

UK Film Council

Union Modernisation Advisory Fund

Veterinary Residues Committee

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Advisory Board

West Northamptonshire Development Corporation

Women's National Commission

Zoos Forum