§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will supply further details of the advantageous system of modernisation and construction grants to be provided by the European Economic Community, as mentioned in his statement of 27 October, Official Report, c. 1052; and whether these grants will be made conditional on decommissioning.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithNine of the ten member States of the European Community have agreed a number of measures as part of a revised Common Fisheries Policy one of which would provide for Community financed aid towards projects to modernise or build fishing vessels of between 12 metres and 33 metres in length. Priority would be given to bringing modernised or new vessels into service to replace old vessels, and to vessels based in294W coastal areas where fishing is traditionally an important economic activity. Expenditure by the Community of 118 million ECUs is envisaged over a three-year period.
Detailed arrangements to implement these grants remain to be agreed by the Council of Ministers.