HC Deb 10 July 1979 vol 970 cc147-8W
Mr. John Home Robertson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to release funds to enable the White Fish Authority to fulfil its task of supporting both the fishing industry and the boat building industry.

Mr. Peter Walker

I am considering the future use of public funds in supporting the fishing industry.

Mr. John Home Robertson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the amount of FEOGA grant from the European guidance and guarantee fund which has been held up or lost as a result of the standstill on processing White Fish Authority grants for new fishing boats since October 1978.

Mr. Peter Walker

No FEOGA grant has been held up or lost.

Mr. Peter Walker

Information is not available in the form requested. The table below shows the value of exports of agricultural and food commodities—excluding drink—from the United Kingdom to the other eight members of the European Economic Community and imports of these commodities to the United Kingdom from these countries since 1969.

Mr. John Home Robertson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications to the White Fish Authority for grants for building new fishing boats are at present blocked on his instructions in Scotland and in the rest of Great Britain.

Mr. Peter Walker

I understand that the White Fish Authority is currently holding 61 applications for grants to build new fishing vessels. Decisions have not yet been taken on where the vessel would be constructed, but 39 applications have been submitted by applicants in Scotland and the remaining 22 by applicants in England and Wales.

Mr. John Home Robertson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many new fishing vessels have been built with grant aid in yards in Scotland and in the rest of Great Britain during each of the past five years.

Mr. Peter Walker

The White Fish Authority does not have statistics readily available in the precise form requested. The number of completed vessels built with WFA grant aid for applicants based in Scotland and in England and Wales in the Past three financial years was as follows:

Applicants in Scotland Applicants in England and Wales
1976–77 … … 27 65
1977–78 … … 17 35
1978–79 … … 23 33