§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Financial Instruments Fisheries Guidance grants received by(a) the Scottish fishing fleet 232W and (b) the England fishing fleet will be mainly funded by the United Kingdom under the Fontainebleau arrangement. [102177]
§ Mr. MorleyFinal decisions have not yet been taken on what Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) grants will be available to either the Scottish or English fishing fleet for the period 2000–06, but any introduced would be mainly funded by the United Kingdom taxpayer. Under the Fontainebleau arrangement it effectively costs the UK taxpayer around 71p for every £1 of EU money spent int he UK.
FIFG grants are also dependent on a minimum level of additional national grant which would be wholly funded by the United Kingdom taxpayer. The proportion of the total grant of this national element would vary depending on the type of work aided and whether or not it is in an Objective 1 area.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much his Department has spent on fisheries in each of the past five years; and what is his estimate of spending on fisheries in each of the next three years. [102397]
§ Mr. MorleyGrant in aid paid by the Department of the Environment to the National Rivers Authority, the Environment Agency's predecessor, for salmon and freshwater fisheries work was as follows:
£ million 1994–95 111.1 1995–96 19.7 1 England and Wales Details of grant in aid paid by MAFF to the Environment Agency are as follows:
£million 1996–97 17.5 1997–98 17.4 1998–99 222.1 1999–2000 34.8 2000–01 34.8 2001–02 33.3 1England and Wales. 2In 1998–99 there was a temporary change in the rules whereby all revenue from licence fees was returned to Treasury but with an equivalent increase in grant in aid. The underlying figure for MAFF grant in aid is £7.9 million, which included a one-off additional payment of £0.5 million to assist the enforcement of the salmon conservation byelaws. 3 England only.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions regarding the impact on the Environment Agency of cuts in the fisheries budget. [102398]
§ Mr. MorleyI have not discussed this matter with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions but I have done so with the Chairman of the Environment Agency.
233W
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of reduction in grant-in-aid on the Environment Agency's capacity to carry out its functions with regard to fishing in the North West Region. [102395]
§ Mr. MorleyI refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 27 October 1999,Official Report, column 922W.