§ Mr. Sayeedasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about an order for the replacement of the Trinity House vessel Mermaid.
§ Mr. David MitchellMermaid is 26 years old and her replacement has been under consideration for some time. My right hon. Friend has now agreed that Trinity House may place an order for a new vessel with Hyundai of Korea. The total cost, which will be met from the General Lighthouse Fund, is estimated at £9.6 million. This is about £5 million below the comparable UK price and cannot be matched by intervention fund support. My right hon. Friend noted, too, that 56 per cent. of the value of the content of the Hyundai vessel would be procured in the UK.