Written question asked by Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour) on Tuesday, 20 April 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 5 May 2004. It was answered by David Jamieson (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 May 2004 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Dept for Transport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with other Government departments regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters; what discussions he has had with the Irish Government regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters.

Answer: Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what discussions he has had with other Government Departments regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters; [168239] (2) what discussions he has had with the Irish Government regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters. [168240] Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply. The General Lighthouse Fund meets the cost of providing aids to navigation services for the British Isles as a whole, but the Government shares UK shipping industry concerns about the imbalance in the amounts of light dues collected in the UK and in Ireland. Since we reiterated in January our commitment to renegotiate the current level of funding from Ireland there have been further discussions at official level between the Department for Transport and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and with the Irish Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The Northern Ireland Office will also be involved as the dialogue progresses.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 420 c1538-9W; 168239;168240
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Finance Navigation Lighthouses Republic of Ireland General Lighthouse Fund
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk