HC Deb 28 June 1967 vol 749 cc488-9
8. Mr. Buchanan-Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities are available to encourage co-operative working amongst fishermen.

Mr. Buchan

The White Fish Authority and the Herring Industry Board have power to give financial or other assistance to new or existing co-operative organisations in the fishing industry. My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also may make loans towards the capital expenditure incurred in starting or developing a co-operative scheme.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that at Gourdon in my constituency the Fishermen's Co-operative Association is having to pay Selective Employment Tax without getting a refund? Is it not a nonsensical farce to encourage co-operation on the one hand and penalise it on the other?

Mr. Buchan

The levying of the tax was connected with the staff involved, but in terms of the other aspects of the Question we are giving all the assistance that co-operative schemes require.

Mr. Noble

Will the hon. Gentleman look carefully at this and perhaps similar cases, because it seems a great pity that, where co-operative fishing of this sort is successful, it should be penalised just because an association has one or two extra staff who look after the co-operative side?

Mr. Buchan

We look at all these aspects carefully. I remind the right hon. Gentleman that out of £65,000 given to co-operative schemes over the last five years in the United Kingdom, £24,000 was given to four co-operatives in Scotland.