Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many pier companies created by local acts of parliament in the 19th century are still in existence.

My Department does not hold the specific information requested. Acts of Parliament are a matter of public record and can be found by consulting a legal journal such as Halsbury’s Statutes. Details of any 19th century pier companies, created by local Acts of Parliament, that are still in existence may be found by consulting the online search register at Companies House at http://companieshouse.gov.uk/

According to the National Piers Society, there are 58 surviving piers in the United Kingdom of which 33 are in private sector ownership, 21 are owned by local authorities and 4 are in community or other ownership.