To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will publish the assessment made by British Waterways of (a) its waterways network infrastructure and (b) the elements of its waterways network infrastructure not categorised as principal assets; and if he will make a statement. (325335)

British Waterways categorises the condition of its principal and most significant non-principal assets using a five-point condition grading system of A (very good) through to E (bad) in order to establish priorities for maintenance work. The latest information available as at 31 March 2009¹ is as follows:

¹ Information provided by British Waterways.

British Waterways take a risk-based approach in using the funding available to maintain the network. They concentrate on those assets in the poorest condition and that have the highest consequence of failure e.g. in terms of safety or the impact on the wider network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will provide funds to British Waterways to restore to good condition its assets assessed as (a) already defective and (b) at risk of becoming defective; and if he will make a statement. (325336)

The level of grant funding for the waterways will be a decision for the next Spending Review and will need to balance long-term sustainability of the waterways with the overall fiscal position at the time. Government grant are, however, not the sole factor in determining what is spent on the waterways—efficiency savings, third party funding and commercial income are also very important.

Spend on maintenance of the network is a priority for British Waterways who take a risk-based approach in using the funding available to maintain the network. They concentrate on those assets in the poorest condition and that have the highest consequence of failure e.g. in terms of safety or the impact on the wider network.