Member

The Canal & River Trust, despite being a charitable trust, carries out statutory functions and receives central government funding to assist with the maintenance of this national infrastructure. In that sense, it is not entirely distinct from other bodies that are already subject to the environmental duties under the Bill. Given the scale of its responsibilities and its public funding, there is a strong case, powerfully argued by the noble Lord, Lord Evans, for holding the trust to similar standards of environmental accountability. Indeed, it is precisely because the trust is in receipt of public funds and operates at the interface of public benefit and environmental stewardship that an additional statutory requirement might aid co-ordinated action.