Salmon Farms (Hansard, 18 October 1993)

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to make representations to the Crown Estate Commissioners to charge similar rents to Scottish salmon farms as are charged.in other producer countries; and if he will make a statement.

§ Sir Hector Monro
My right hon. Friend has no plans to make representations to the Crown Estate Commissioners on the question of rents for salmon farms. Rentals payable for marine fish farms in Scotland were reviewed with effect from 1 January 1992 by the Valuation Office acting in an independent and impartial capacity. In making its determination, the Valuation Office considered the extensive written and oral representations made on behalf of the fish farming industry. Rental arrangements are a management issue for the Crown Estate and not one where it would be appropriate for Ministers to intervene.

§ Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research aimed at improving anti-predator devices and structure of salmon farm cages is being supported by the Department; and if he will make a statement.

§ Sir Hector Monro
In the past the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department's marine laboratory has been involved in research into anti-predator devices. It is not currently doing research in this area, or into the structure of salmon farm cages, as there is already a wide range of equipment on the market.

§ Mr. Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the salmon farming rents charged per annum by the Crown Estate Commissioners for salmon farms producing 500 tonnes annually; and what information he has on annual rent charges for salmon farms with similar production levels in(a) Norway, (b) Ireland, (c) the Faroes, (d) eastern Canada, (e) western Canada and (f) New Zealand.

§ Sir Hector Monro
The rents payable to the crown estate for marine salmon farms are linked annually to salmon price movements at Billingsgate market. The rental payable for salmon farms producing 500 tonnes from 1 January 1993 is £16,500 for mainland Scotland and £14,850 for the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. These charges will be adjusted to take account of price movements between 1 December 1992 and 1 December 1993 in accordance with the established rent formula.
The arrangements for charges in other countries are not made in a directly comparable way and they reflect the different constitutional and fiscal circumstances applying in each country.