Breaches cost millions last winter, the work of recent years is unravelling and there is no clarity over future grants.

Former BW vice chairman Sir Peter Soulsby referred to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) meeting two days earlier and how the minister claimed that BW had not been transparent with him, implying BW had orchestrated the demonstrations.

Concerns included safety implications, tourism lost, pensioners hit by mooring fee increases, decline in volunteer restoration and loss of regeneration catalyst.

The Minister's claim not to have BW's full projections until April 20 was a muddying of the waters. Had he tried to get them? Bill Wiggin said Gardiner only met BW monthly.

Who made the decision that Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) would fund the £200m budget hole and that treasury help would not be asked? Had DEFRA underspent by £747m in five years?

Ian Stewart called for £5 – £10m from contingencies to make up BW's foreseeable shortfall. Others wanted funding at least to cover safety concerns.

We are due a new Prime Minister and a ministerial reshuffle. Barry Gardiner's failure to give clear answers (except that the property portfolio will reduce dependency on the grant) will not have helped him. DEFRA has become a byword for incompetence said David Tredinnick.