§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the structure of light dues.
§ Mr. David MitchellIn September last I invited Arthur Andersen and Co., the consultant accountants, to undertake a wide ranging review of light dues structure. I have now had its report, and copies have been placed in the Library.
The report makes a number of recommendations which, if implemented, would extend liability for dues to categories of vessels that at present are exempt and redistribute the liability within those categories that have borne it hitherto.
These recommendations will be of general concern to the marine community and I propose, therefore, to make the report available for comment to all those bodies that Arthur Andersen and Co. consulted in the course of preparing the report.