corridors of power.

And he called on the UK Government to help Bermuda's tourism industry take off again by arranging more flights direct from Europe to the Island.

Lord Ashley added that reversing the decline in tourism is a Bermuda Government job -- but that international air agreements were handled by the UK.

He said: "It is obviously damaging that the only direct flight to and from Europe is the BA one from Gatwick.

"I understand that the independent Caribbean countries benefit from more carriers and more flights.'' And he told Baroness Symons: "I hope you will be able to pursue the issue and see what can be done to rectify this.'' Lord Ashley also asked the British Government to put pressure on the US Government to clean up the $65 million dollar mess they left behind when the US Navy weighed anchor and quit Bermuda in 1995.

The Labour peer, who visited Bermuda earlier this month, wrote to Foreign Office Minister Baroness Symons about US pollution.

And he also raised Island concerns about an international clampdown on so-called tax havens and moves to grant full UK passports to Overseas Territories citizens.

Now Lord Ashley and other members of a UK Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation to Bermuda are to meet Baroness Symons, who is responsible for UK Overseas Territories, to raise the issues in person.

Lord Ashley's letter said: "The USA's position is that it will only pay for clean-ups where there is an imminent threat to health and safety.

"This is a preposterous and unfair attitude which cannot be sustained. As the USA were responsible for the mess, they should logically accept that responsibility and pay.'' Lord Ashley also mentioned probes by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and EU into offshore finance centres like Bermuda, with a view to drawing up a hitlist of dodgy jurisdictions.

He said: "As a successful international centre, Bermuda can be seriously affected by any false perceptions.

"People there are concerned ...as they believe their financial integrity is not as fully recognised as it should be.

"Any help the British Government could give to correct these misapprehensions would be appreciated in Bermuda.'' Ashley goes to bat for Bermuda Lord Ashley told The Royal Gazette during his trip to the Island that Premier Jennifer Smith had asked for help from British bureaucrats in reorganising and streamlining the Civil Service.

And he asked Baroness Symons to set the wheels in motion so the UK Civil Service can assist.

He said: "I hope that some early moves can be made to help as they will be of great assistance to the Bermuda Government.'' Lord Ashley promised to take Bermuda's problems to the Foreign Office after he returned to the House of Lords from the fact-finding trip.

Senate President Alf Oughton yesterday paid tribute to House of Assembly Clerk Muriel Roach, who organised the CPA trip to Bermuda in her role as secretary of the Bermuda branch.