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Inland Waterways: Repairs and Maintenance

Asked by Jim McMahonLabour (Co-op)Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 8 December 2025UIN 96174

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for canal maintenance.

Answered by Emma Hardy

Canal maintenance, and ensuring funding for it, is the responsibility of navigation authorities. The Government provides the largest navigation authority, the Canal and River Trust, with an annual grant of £52.6 million to support the Trust’s network maintenance programme. This represented 22% of the Trust’s total income of £232 million last year.

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