§ Q2. Mr. Brothertonasked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Cleethorpes.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so, Sir.
§ Mr. BrothertonIs the Prime Minister aware that that reply will be received with great regret in Cleethorpes, particularly by the large number of people living there who are engaged in the fishing industry?
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the grave crisis facing the fishing industry? Will he take steps to divert some of the large sums of money being frittered away on food subsidies to help this most vital industry?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought that fish was food. I naturally recognise the hon. Gentleman's concern—which is shared by my right hon. and hon. Friends and other hon. Members in that and other areas—about the present situation in the fishing industry. The hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been considering the situation as a matter of urgency. Indeed, I am glad to inform the hon. Gentleman that the Government's decision on this matter was announced an hour ago. Temporary aid will be provided in the form of flat-rate daily payments, varying by class of vessel. 699 The total cost of the scheme will be about £6¼ million. My right hon. Friend will be laying the appropriate order before Parliament as soon as possible. I hope that the Opposition will not complain about the increase in Government expenditure which is involved.
§ Mr. James JohnsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that, while there is not a single fishing vessel in Cleethorpes, there are two other places on the Humber—Hull and Grimsby—which have efficient, international, deep-sea, distant water fishing fleets? What my right hon. Friend said about the Government's decision, announced an hour ago, may be known in Hull and Grimsby. I should like to thank him on behalf of all my colleagues from the Humber fishing ports and other fishing ports for what we hope will be, if I am cautiously optimistic, a shot in the arm for the fishing industry.
§ The Prime MinisterI thank my hon. Friend for what he included in his question. It may be that there are no fishing vessels actually plying from Cleethorpes, but I think that they go past Cleethorpes. In view of the interest shown by the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton), who was not as quick as my hon. Friend in knowing what was really happening in this industry, I think that he is entitled to put that question, because some of his constituents are involved in the industry.