Fishing Industry

HC Deb 06 May 1982 vol 23 cc269-70

5. Sir Patrick Wall

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he now plans to give further assistance to the fishing industry.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Supplementary information on the financial position of the industry has been obtained, and this is being considered along with the industry's representations.

Sir Patrick Wall

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the desperate straits in which deep-water vessels now find themselves will be exacerbated by restrictions on their fishing? Is he further aware that these ships and crews are also important as part of our naval reserves? When will the discussions be completed? Does he realise that there is very little time left if we wish to keep the deep-water fleet?

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

It is also important to bear in mind the present economic situation in the fishing industry. The House may be interested to know that, in the first four months of this year, in the six main ports of England and Wales the volume of landings rose by 6 per cent., prices by 18 per cent. and total earnings by 25 per cent. Those factors must be taken into account.

Mr. Mark Hughes

Does the Minister accept that in the deep-water ports the level of indebtedness of the fishing industry and the interest rates being carried cannot be sustained, even in the light of the price increases to which he has referred? Is he aware that, unless assistance is given to the deep-water fleet, it will disappear? It is no use saying that prices have risen by X and volumes by Y if at the same time the basic economics of the industry have been totally destroyed.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

I refute what the hon. Gentleman has said. It is quite wrong to ignore, as he seeks to do, developments in the earnings of the industry. We simply cannot set that aside. He should also consider how deep-sea fishing companies have adapted their fishing methods in recent months and the number of extremely successful voyages that they have undertaken. Moreover, no finger can be pointed at Government aid to the fishing industry, which in the past two years has amounted to about £42 million, a considerable amount of which went to the deep-sea sector.