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

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inland waterways are open to the general public; and how access by ramblers to such waterways is facilitated.

Canals and rivers are an important asset for tourism and recreation, which the Government aims to protect and promote. According to The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA), in 2011 there were 873.8 million visits to waterways around Britain, 23.4 million of which were to visit a specific attraction. There were 293.2 million visits for leisure walking and 234.5 million visits for dog walking, making walking by far the most popular activity participated in.

The majority of Britain's waterways are managed by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) which is funded by Defra. One of the key objectives on which this funding depends is ensuring public access, including for recreation and tourism. The land managed by the CRT includes 3148km of towpaths, all of which are open to the public, and a number of monuments and historic sites including 5 UNESCO world heritage sites.