Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential role of canals and waterways in the Government’s levelling-up agenda.

As set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, infrastructure and connectivity are key to levelling up the country.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently conducting a review of the annual Government grant provided to the Canal and River Trust, and the potential role of the canal network in the levelling-up agenda is being considered as part of that review.