Rivers and Estuaries: Derelict Boats

Lord McFall of Alcluith Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

At the risk of repetition, it has long been the convention to leave this to navigation authorities to manage best. They understand best their own waterways, rivers and canals, both urban and rural. I can tell the noble Lord that we have agreed a new 10-year grant of £400 million for the Canal & River Trust to extend the end of the current grant regime, which ends in 2027. This new settlement will go to 2037. We are ensuring stable funding for that body so that it can carry out all its functions and activities, including clearing up abandoned boats.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, is participating remotely.

[Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab) [V]]

When Maidenhead had to deal with the problem of abandoned and sunken boats on the Thames, the local authority and the Environment Agency pleaded poverty, conflicting powers and confusion over responsibility. It took a local landowner to do the job of clearing the boats at his expense—so, free of charge. There is a lacuna in the law that needs sorting out. Will the Minister and his officials look at this whole issue of responsibility and perhaps come back to the House with, to be blunt, a better answer?