§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, having regard to the fact that a Committee was appointed in 1899 to consider applications for monetary grants in aid of harbours, will he state the conditions under which grants are made, the number of applications received for grants in aid of harbours in Scotland, the number of cases in which grants have been made, and the amount of the respective grants.
§ MR. KEARLEYThe conditions laid down by the Treasury for the guidance of the Committee in considering applications for such grants are as follows: — (1) That the Local Authority should undertake and should be in a position to ensure the permanent maintenance of the harbour towards the establishment of which the assistance of the State is asked. (2) That of the total amount required for construction, at least two-thirds should be provided from local or outside sources, and that the contribution from the Exchequer should in no case exceed the remaining one-third. (3) That the inquiries of the Committee should be limited to the case of harbours serving or likely to develop a large fishing district either as ports of departure and landing for the fleet, or as providing refuge on parts of the coast whence the nearest existing harbour is so distant as to destroy the value of fishing grounds which produce a good harvest of fish. Since the appointment of the Committee in June, 1899, twenty applications have been received on behalf of harbours in Scotland, and grants have been made or promised in six cases as follows:—Port-nockie, £1,500; Fraserburgh, £15,000; Peterhead, £28,000; Macduff, £2,000; Lerwick, £4,500; Wick, £20,000.