§ Mr. Nicholas Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the rates of light dues in each financial year since 1974, the percentage increase in each year and the reasons for the increases in the present financial year.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe following are the light dues charges per voyage for each 10 tons net registered tonnage in the years concerned, respectively for home trade and foreign-going vessels: 201W
Home Trade Per cent. change (rounded) Foreign-going Per cent. change (rounded) 1981 160p +25 320p +25 1983 144p -10 288p -10 1986 152p +5 304p +5 1987 173p +14 346p +14 1 The maximum annual number of voyages on which light dues were payable by home trade ships was also raised from 10 to 12. 2 The maximum annual number of voyages on which light dues were payable were also raised from 12 to 14 voyages for home trade ships, and from six to seven voyages for foreign-going ships. The increase in 1987 was needed to bring revenue into line with current operating costs and particularly to meet a new requirement to make provision for the costs of operating the United Kingdom transmitters of the Racal-Decca navigator system. This followed a long period in which light dues had been held well below the rate of inflation by drawing on the cash reserves in the general lighthouse fund.