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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local waterways blocked by flooding are reopened for community use as soon as possible.

Canals and rivers are an important asset for tourism and recreation, which the Government aims to protect and promote. However, the maintenance and dredging of canals and other waterways is an operational matter for the relevant Navigation Authority.