An 1850 telephone service (i.e. calls charged at local rates only) is provided by my Department to give assistance and information in connection with marine safety matters. I think that this has been of benefit to the Department's clients and has helped to raise safety awareness.
The Deputy may not be aware that an interdepartmental expert group, chaired by the Department of Finance, is considering the general issues raised by him. The expert group is expected to report in the near future. Once the report is available Ministers will be better placed to consider these issues.