To establish a Marine Navigation Aids Commission; to establish an Office of Marine Navigation Aids Regulation; to amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995; and for connected purposes.
The Marine Navigation Aids Bill proposes establishing a Marine Navigation Aids Commission. The commission would be responsible for the operation and maintenance of shipping navigation aids and for the collection of light dues. Light dues are the charges payable by ships that enter English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish waters.Lord Berkeley introduced a similar Bill with the same title in the 2008-09 session of Parliament. The Bill received a first reading on 14 May 2009 but did not progress any further.Key areasThe Bill would create the Marine Navigation Aids Commission, funded by the General Lighthouse Fund.The Office of Marine Navigation Aids Regulation would be established to regulate the work of the commission. The office would ensure the commission procures and maintains navigation aids safely and efficiently, would set the charges payable by ships entering English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish Waters, and would administer the General Lighthouse Fund. The Secretary of State would be empowered to appoint the members and chief executive of the commission and the chairperson of the Office of Marine Navigation Aids Regulation.
House of Lords
13 April 2010
The bill would create a Marine Navigation Aids Commission to run and maintain navigation aids for ships and to collect light dues from ships entering UK waters. It would also establish an Office of Marine Navigation Aids Regulation to oversee the Commission, set those charges, and manage the General Lighthouse Fund, with the Secretary of State appointing the leaders of both bodies. It would also amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as part of these changes.
The bill is currently at the second reading in the House of Lords. The next step would be committee stage and further readings in the Lords; a predecessor of this bill was discussed in 2008-09 but did not progress.
Generated 21 February 2026
During second reading of the Bill on 5 February, a wide-ranging discussion took place on issues including the competitiveness of shipping and the marine industry.
The 2009-10 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
