§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any proposals for collecting light dues from(a) pleasure craft and (b) fishing vessels under 10 m giving his estimate of the revenue which would accrue at current levels.
§ Mr. PortilloAs regards pleasure craft I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) on 7 November at columns71–72. If subsequently it were decided to apply light dues to pleasure craft the revenue would depend on the level of charge to be levied. I have no plans for charging light dues on fishing vessels of less than 10 metres.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give an estimate of the cost of collecting light dues from fishing vessels; and how much has been collected to date from(a) British and (b) foreign vessels.
§ Mr. PortilloPayments to date of light dues in respect of United Kingdom-registered fishing vessels amount to some £45,000. Information about the value of payments in respect of foreign-registered fishing vessels is not readily available. Nor is it possible to identify separately the cost of collecting light dues in respect of fishing vessels.