HC Deb 20 November 1974 vol 881 cc1305-6
11. Mrs. Winifred Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will take steps to increase the aid available to fishermen seeking to purchase fishing boats.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are consulting the White Fish Authority, the Herring Industry Board and the fishing industry about the level of grant assistance after the end of this year.

Mrs. Ewing

I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he accept that in my constituency of Moray and Nairn there is a danger of the traditional family boat-owning pattern breaking up because of this difficulty? Will the hon. Gentleman confirm that the EEC grant application position is as stated in his correspondence with me, which seems incredible? Is it true that no aplication can be made for a grant if a contract is already negotiated to build a boat? As it takes approximately nine months to get a boat built, does not that mean that, in effect, no EEC grants are vailable to fishermen in my constituency?

Mr. Brown

I do not think it means that at all. If I may say so, the hon. Lady has put a rather confused supplementary question. It attempts to deal with a general principle by expressing concern about the future level of grants and then jumps to a particular case of which I have knowledge. I have no reason to doubt the facts that I have already communicated to the hon. Lady.

Mr. Sproat

Will the Minister confirm that in the last 18 months the Scottish fishing industry has received from the EEC about £350,000 in grants? Will he also give an assurance that if the EEC wants to direct more money towards the Scottish fishing industry it will not be blocked by his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry acting in the way in which he was said to have acted in the case of the Welsh?

Mr. Brown

I am not aware of that situation. I would not like to dispute or to accept the figure quoted by the hon. Gentleman. The arrangements made for grants to assist in the purchase of fishing boats are generous at the moment and are in no way limited by any EEC regulation or other legislation.