HC Deb 25 October 1967 vol 751 cc1718-9
24. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, as a consequence of the two letters sent to him last July by the Scottish Trawlers Federation, he is yet in a position to arrange for a subsidy payment to the Scottish trawler ffeet to offset the cost of the surcharge on oil prices.

Mr. Buchan

The recent financial results of the trawler fleets are now being reviewed, and the Government will announce a decision on assistance from the supplementary fund as soon as this review is complete.

Mr. Hughes

Is not this a thoroughly uneconomic way of depriving British fish-eaters of their diet and depriving the trawler fishermen of their jobs? Will my hon. Friend take steps to prevent this?

Mr. Buchan

I will do my very best to prevent deprivation both to fish-eaters and to fish-finders.

Mr. Stodart

Is the Under-Secretary aware that he had an opportunity to make this change in July, when we debated the Supplementary Estimates? Can he confirm that the surcharge is, in most cases, equivalent to the whole profit that is earned by the average trawler? Does he not think it disgraceful that amendments are not being made?

Mr. Buchan

I agree that the fuel costs to the trawlers are proportionately more than in most other areas of industry. It is partly because of this that we have brought forward our six months' review from December to October to look at the whole position.