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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the local authorities in England that have responsibility for running of canals and waterways in their area.

There are over 30 navigation authorities in England and Wales with responsibility for varying lengths of inland waterways, ranging from the Canal and River Trust with around 2,000 miles of waterways down to privately-owned single canal companies. Within this range is a number of local authorities. However, the Government is not involved in the day-to-day running of inland waterways, which rests with the navigation authorities that own and manage them, and therefore does not hold information on them other than where there is a legal or statutory requirement.

The Inland Waterways Association, a national charity working to protect and restore waterways, and the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities maintain comprehensive lists and details of navigation authorities across the country.