The Dee Estuary Conservancy Harbour Revision (No. 2) Order 2023

Exemptions from dues

24.—(1) Except as may be agreed between the conservancy authority and the Secretary of State or person concerned or as may be specifically laid down by statute, nothing in any enactment authorising the conservancy authority to levy dues authorises it to levy dues on—

(a) a vessel—

(i) belonging to or in the service of Her Majesty or any member of the Royal Family;

(ii) in the service of HM Revenue and Customs and not carrying goods for reward;

(iii) belonging to or used by a lifeboat service whilst employed in or in connection with the functions of that service;

(iv) in the service of a police force or other emergency service; or

(v) belonging to or in the service of Trinity House;

(b) HM Revenue and Customs or an officer or other person employed in their service in respect of a vessel or goods under customs seizure or in respect of goods or other articles belonging to, or in the care or service of, HM Revenue and Customs;

(c) an officer of HM Revenue and Customs or any other person employed in their service; or

(d) a person employed by the Secretary of State for Defence while in the execution of that person’s duty.

(2) An officer of the Department for Transport in the execution of that officer’s duty is at all times exempt from dues in respect of a vessel belonging to or in the service of the Department.

(3) No dues are payable by any small vessel.

(4) No dues are payable by any vessel navigating—

(a) from Dee Locks on the Shropshire Union Canal to Chester Weir, or

(b) to Dee Locks on the Shropshire Union Canal from Chester Weir.

(5) No dues in respect of passengers or goods may be demanded by the conservancy authority in relation to any vessel that is inbound from the sea to the port or outbound for the sea from the port.

(6) In this article “dues” means ship, passenger and goods dues which the conservancy authority may demand under section 26 (charges for services or facilities) of the 1964 Act.