Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to allocate funding to local authorities who have had applications for bathing water status rejected to encourage swimmers and other beach and water users, so that prospective bathing waters might meet the criteria to be considered for bathing water status.

Defra has no plans to allocate funding to local authorities whose applications for bathing water status have not progressed to the consultation stage. Defra encourages bathing water applications by writing to the Chief Executive of every local authority in England each year, as well as by sending similar letters to other stakeholders like swimming associations. It is these local authorities and stakeholders who will best know which popular bathing areas may be suitable for designation.