§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide the same level of assistance to Harland-Wolff Ship Repair Division Northern Ireland as is available to German and Dutch shipyards in 1994.
§ Mr. Tim SmithIt is the practice of the Government to provide intervention funding within the limits set by the European Commission in respect of eligible shipbuilding projects in the United Kingdom. The Government have consistently taken the view that priority should be given to protecting the builders of new ships, rather than those who repair or refit them. At the request of the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association the Government recently reviewed this policy but have decided that it should remain unchanged.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will investigate assistance available to shipyards and ship repairers in other European Union countries and provide an equal level of support in Northern Ireland to make tendering for major refitting work a realistic option.
§ Mr. Tim SmithAssistance available for shipbuilding and conversion projects in other European Community countries is a matter for the relevant authorities in the country concerned. It is not the policy of the United Kingdom Government to provide direct aid towards ship conversion. In certain circumstances alterations to ships carried out by United Kingdom yards can be considered for support under the home shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme. The seventh directive on aid to shipbuilding does not permit the granting of assistance for shiprepair.