§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will abolish light dues;
(2) if he will apply the user pays principle to light dues; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EC about light dues; and what steps he will take to apply single market principles to light dues.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Government have no plans to abolish the system of light dues. But they have drawn the European Commission's attention to the differing practices among member states for funding maritime navigational aids, and has urged the extension of the "user pays" principle throughout the European Community. Within the United Kingdom system, recent reforms have extended light dues to certain previously non-paying users.