§ 28. Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether all the arrangements regarding the investment incentive grants now available for new fishing vessels have now been made clear to the fishing industry.
§ Mr. HoyThe arrangements have already been announced and the scheme giving effect to them was laid before Parliament today.
§ Mr. Wolrige-GordonI thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply. Is he aware that if competitive tendering is abolished, it is very hard to see what protection there will be against the exploitation of increased grants by the Government against the interests of the fishermen? How does he propose to deal with that problem?
§ Mr. HoyAs the hon. Gentleman knows, this matter has been under discussion for a long time. We are reviewing what the procedure should be and I would prefer not to make a statement until the review is complete.
§ Mr. Hector HughesDoes the Minister realise that there has been a considerable delay in publishing this scheme? Does the White Paper specify the circumstances in which the grants can be measured and when they will be paid?
§ Mr. HoyYes, the White Paper gives that information. I remind my hon. and learned Friend that grants are still available under existing schemes, and that the new scheme is retrospective to 17th January this year, so nothing has been lost.
§ Mr. McNamaraWill my hon. Friend accept that the introduction of this new scheme will be welcome? Can he give some indication when his Ministry will comment on the evidence and conclusions of the Estimates Committee about the uses and abuses of subsidies for fishing vessels?
§ Mr. HoyYes, that is exactly what I was saying in reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. WolrigeGordon). The Estimates Committee has reported in the last few weeks on various aspects of the industry, and it is right that the industry should consider what the Estimates Committee has said. We, too, will be giving it consideration in the course of the review which we are now making.