Annex A
Email of 21 November from Treasury to
DEFRA on BW Commercial Freedoms
Following the meeting on British Waterways on
3 November, the Economic Secretary (EST) Ed Balls, has come back
with a number of points which attendees raised over lunch on which
he would like an answer. Grateful if you could help.
1. To remove the limit on British Waterways
only investing in property besides it own waterways. Perhaps allowing
BW to invest in property beside the waters of other waterway operators
eg the EA. Eventually, over a period of time, moving to unrestricted
property development.
2. To allow BW to borrow commercially to
maximise its opportunities for investment.
3. In moving BW to potential self-sufficiency,
giving BW a dowry of land from the Government's own holdings has
previously done with London Docklands and the Liverpool Waterfront.
This may help kick-start them on the road to self-sufficiency.
4. A contractual grant for BW during the
CSR years to protect them from further GIA reductions, and to
provide planning certainty so they can move to self-sufficiency.
These options were discussed over dinner, and
are not an indication of our future policy. Nevertheless the EST
would value an indication of feasibility of each of the above.
I need to respond to him by 27 November. So
grateful for a response by close Friday if possible.
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