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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding access rights for (a) swimming and (b) non-motorised craft on inland waterways.

The government recognises the importance of providing access to nature and is considering the approach to improving that, including access onto unregulated inland waterways. We are committed to working with stakeholders as this develops, and a further update will be provided in due course.