HL Deb 18 July 1983 vol 443 cc981-2

3 p.m.

Viscount Massereene and Ferrard

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to ensure that Tobermory Pier, Isle of Mull, is not permanently closed.

Lord Lyell

My Lords, Tobermory Pier remains available for use by smaller craft, including fishing boats. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has met a local delegation to discuss the future of the pier. It is owned by Caledonian MacBrayne and it is for them to make proposals. However, my right honourable friend has indicated that he is prepared to consider financial assistance towards the cost of reasonable works. It should therefore be possible at least to put the pier into a satisfactory condition commensurate with the use at present made of it.

Viscount Massereene and Ferrard

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend very much for that reply, may I also declare an interest? Is my noble friend aware that the Isle of Mull is twice the size of the Isle of Wight and has a tourist trade of very nearly a quarter of a million, together with tens and tens of thousands of livestock? Is he further aware that without Tobermory Pier, if it were not to be repaired, the Isle would only have one pier, which is exposed to the northerly gales, so that sometimes the mail boat cannot call? I should like to thank my noble friend again for his reply. Is he aware that I was going to go on for a long time but I will not do so because of my noble friend's heartwarming reply?

Lord Lyell

My Lords, I am grateful, as I am sure all your Lordships will be, to my noble friend for his support of the Isle of Mull. I personally have to declare a non-interest because I have not been there, but I am sure we are all fascinated to learn that the Isle can, among other things, boast of the presence of a noble Viscount: my noble friend. I would stress to him and to your Lordships that the vast bulk of goods, vehicles and passengers reach Mull by the modern roll-on, roll-off ferry which goes to Craignure. This is entirely unaffected by any recent development at Tobermory as regards the pier.