§ Mr. Dalyellasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will urgently consider waiving payment of light dues, amounting to £2,140, on the owners of the liner "Eugenio C" when she calls at South Queensferry on Friday 7th July, in view of the threat of the owners not to call at a Scottish port.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuNo. These light dues are payable under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Mercantile Marine Fund) Act, 1898, as amended, and I have no powers to waive payment. However, I am at present urgently considering with other interested parties a suggestion for a reduction in the scale of the light dues in the case of ships which call there for the sole purpose of disembarking and re-embarking transit passengers. Before such an alteration242W could be effected it would be necessary for an Order in Council to be made under Section 5 of the Act.