HL Deb 22 July 1959 vol 218 cc381-5

3.3 p.m.

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL WALDEGRAVE) rose to move, That the White Fish Subsidy (United Kingdom) Scheme, 1959, be approved. The noble Earl said: My Lords, there are two schemes connected with the White Fish industry on the Order Paper to-day and with your Lordships' permission I will speak to both of them together, though naturally they will be moved separately. These schemes concern two aspects of the Government's fisheries policy. This policy, as your Lordships know, is to encourage the modernisation of the fishing fleets by the provision of grants and loans for the construction and improvement of inshore, near and middle-water vessels, and to assist the industry, during the difficult transitional period while the reconstruction of the fleets is taking place, by the payment, as a temporary measure, of the fishing subsidies.

The present position is, I think a tribute to the success which has attended this policy. A few years ago, when this policy was initiated, the near and middle-water fleet was almost wholly composed of old and obsolescent coal-burning trawlers. At the beginning of 1953 there were 675 coal-burners in this fleet; to-day over 400 have been scrapped, and more than half the fleet now consists of modern diesel or oil-fired vessels. At the same time there has been a great deal of modernisation of the seining and inshore fleets. The number of vessels on order or under construction is substantial and new vessels are joining the fleets all the time.

Moreover, during this time the landings of fish have remained remarkably steady. The weight of fish taken by the inshore, near and middle-water sections have not varied from year to year by more than about 5 per cent. from the average for the period. The Government has therefore achieved its objective of maintaining the supply of fish to the consumer while the rebuilding of the fleet is going on. The two White Fish Schemes continue this policy.

The White Fish Subsidy Scheme—if I may take it first—fixes the rates of subsidy for the twelve months beginning on August 1 next and in general follows the same lines as the current Scheme. The most important change is a reduction of about 7 per cent. in the subsidy payable to steam vessels built before August 1, 1952. These are, of course, almost entirely the coal-burners. The subsidy payable to these vessels was reduced last year, because the rate at which they were being scrapped had fallen below the desirable level. Despite the subsidy reduction made last year, however, the rate of scrapping has continued to fall and it seems clear that the present rate of subsidy is still too high. A further reduction is therefore proposed. It is, however, not a severe one, since we have to avoid too sharp an increase in the rate of scrapping, which might have undesirable consequences for those ports which are still largely dependent on coal-burners. We think the reduction proposed will result in the accelerated measure of scrapping which is needed. It is a question of keeping the balance, and we hope and believe we have kept the balance right.

There are only two other changes in rates. One affects steam vessels built since July 31, 1952. Their subsidy is reduced from £11 to £5 10s. 0d. per day. These vessels are regarded as comparable in character with modern diesel vessels although until last year they received subsidy at the same rate as the coal-burners. It is the Government's intention that these vessels should come to be treated in the same way as diesel vessels of the same size, which receive no subsidy, and this reduction, which follows a reduction made last year, is a step towards that end. The other change is a reduction for certain seine net vessels to bring the rate into line with that paid to trawlers of the same size, because they are fishing in competition, with each other. The other rates of subsidy payable to diesel vessels and to inshore fishermen are to remain unchanged.

The White Fish Industry (Grants for Fishing Vessels and Engines (Amendment)) Scheme is concerned with the other side of the picture: that is, the encouragement to new construction. It provides for an increase in the maximum grant payable for any one vessel from £30,000 to £37,500. This change is made in consequence of the rising cost of construction of vessels and has the effect of maintaining the degree of assistance which the owner obtains at the level it was when grants were first introduced in 1953.

I am sure that these measures will enable the industry to continue the steady progress it has been making, and that the changes proposed will be for the ultimate benefit of all sections. I therefore commend the Schemes to your Lordships and beg to move that they be approved.

Moved, That the White Fish Subsidy (United Kingdom) Scheme, 1959, be approved.—(Earl Waldegrave.)

LORD BOOTHBY

My Lords, I should like just to say one or two words. I would say how much I agree with the Government's proposals on the white fish subsidy. It is a very painful process getting rid of obsolete steam trawlers, but they are a total liability to this country and I am very glad that Her Majesty's Government have had the courage to facilitate this process. I believe it to be absolutely essential, if we are to hold our own in this field, that we should have a modern up-to-date trawler fleet; and that these aged steam trawlers, which are really not fit to be manned by seamen in the modern world, should be eliminated as rapidly as possible. It is because I believe that the proposals of Her Majesty's Government will expedite this very painful but absolutely necessary operation that I should like to commend the proposals of Her Majesty's Government.

EARL HOWE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether he is aware that in the Iceland area ships are being built, under the guise of rescue ships, armed with 12-pounder guns? I do not know whether the noble Earl is aware of this fact, but these ships are of about 200 tons and they are fitted with diesel engines. I have taken the opportunity of writing all the circumstances to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs because it seems to me that these ships are not what they purport to be, which is rescue ships they really contravene the Geneva Convention. And at any rate it is pretty dangerous to have a ship calling herself a rescue ship armed with 12-pounder guns presumably to deal with the type of ship the noble Earl has just described.

3.10 p.m.

EARL WALDEGRAVE

My Lords, I hardly think that this matter arises under the Schemes that we are discussing to-day, which are not concerned with the far water fishery fleet at all but with inshore and middle-water fishing. But the interesting information, which I was unaware of before, I will certainly convey to my right honourable friend, and will perhaps communicate with the noble Earl later about his interesting observations on these ships which are being built by foreign Powers.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGH

My Lords, I tried to indicate to the Parliamentary Secretary before he made his explanatory speech that we were all agreed on this matter, and we still are agreed. But as we have had such a nice explanation and support, may we say that, even though it means yet another dip into the public purse for private enterprise, we welcome it for its objective.

On Question, Motion agreed to.