§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the annual cost to the taxpayer of the administration of lighthouses under the control of the 583W Northern Lighthouse Board; how much of this relates to lighthouses in the Isle of Man; and what contribution is made by the Isle of Man Government towards the cost.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 479]: The expenses of the board are met, not by the taxpayer, but from the general lighthouse fund, which is derived from light dues levied on shipping using ports in the British Isles.
In 1984–85 the board incurred current and capital expenditure of about £5 million on lighthouses of which of £0.3 million was in the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man Government do not contribute to the board's costs.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on the improvement carried out on the lighthouse-keepers' houses on Davaar Island; what has been recovered of this cost by subsequent sale or letting of the houses; and what charges have been made on public funds to cover the costs involved.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 479]: I understand that the Northern Lights Board has spent no money on improving these houses in the last five years. No house has been let or sold, and no charge has fallen on public funds.