§ Mr. McTaggartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that British ports will be able to compete on an equal basis in the single European market with other north European ports.
§ Mr. PortilloI refer the hon. Member to my answer on 6 December at columns97-98 to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin).
§ Mr. McTaggartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the level of subsidy,564W both direct and indirect, received by the ports of Glasgow, Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, over the last five years.
§ Mr. PortilloWe know what percentage contributions the national and local government authorities make to expenditure on certain categories of port facilities in Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, but not how much money this and any other aid there may be from public funds has amounted to in any given period. The European Commission is studying our proposal for more transparent financial relations between public authorities and port authorities within the EC and for the accounts of port authorities to be published.