§ Mr. John Townendasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the Trinity House Lighthouse Board.
§ Mr. David MitchellUnder the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, the Corporation of the Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the general lighthouse authority for England and Wales. The day-to-day management is undertaken by a subordinate, non-statutory body, the Trinity House Lighthouse Board, the members of which up to now have been drawn from the Elder Brethren and their senior staff.
The Public Accounts Committee, in its twenty-ninth report for the session 1981–82 (HC 438), dealing with the general lighthouse fund, said it found it anomalous that the Department has no power to appoint the lighthouse authorities, despite its specific responsibility for the fund and its general responsibility for marine safety.
534WIn view of those observations, and with close regard to the work that has been done in pursuing them, I am glad to say that Trinity House has responded constructively and decided to restructure the Lighthouse Board so that, under the chairmanship of the deputy master, Sir Miles Wingate, it will in future consist of four further Elder Brethren and four nominees of the Secretary of State, as voting members, with three senior Trinity House officials as nonvoting members.
My right hon. Friend warmly welcomes this initiative; he is particularly concerned that the notable marine skills of Trinity House should be augmented from the financial and business world, and accordingly has invited the corporation to appoint to the board Sir Michael Colman, finance director of Reckitt and Colman Limited; Mr. Lester George, a director of Ferranti plc; Rear Admiral Hubert Hollins, CB, formerly general manager of the Middle East Navigation Aids Service; and Mr. William Thomson, the chairman of the Forth Ports Authority.