§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications there have been for compensation from former Icelandic waters trawlermen which have been(a) successful, (b) unsuccessful, (c) put on hold and (d) which are pending a decision for each region and nation of the UK. [3902]
§ Nigel GriffithsAt 6 July 2001, 1,710 claims made under the compensation scheme had received payments. Some 3,344 claims had been assessed as unsuccessful, 905 were on hold pending consideration of representations that there should be changes in the rules for those who continued fishing on former Icelandic water trawlers after 1979 and work was in progress on a further 2,016 claims. The following table gives a breakdown of successful claims by area. There are no corresponding figures for unsuccessful and other claims.
Area Number of successful claims Hull 848 Grimsby 206 Fleetwood 174 Blackpool 27 Cleethorpes 53 Newcastle 151 West Yorkshire 86 Aberdeen 19 All others 146
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from fishermen from the north and north-east of Scotland about compensation awards made to former Icelandic waters trawlermen from Scotland. [3903]
§ Nigel GriffithsI have received numerous pieces of correspondence from former fishermen from the north and north-east of Scotland in connection with claims under the Government's compensation scheme for former Icelandic water trawlermen.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the appeals procedure is for former Icelandic waters trawlermen who have their requests for compensation rejected; and what the success rate is for such appeals for each nation and region of the UK. [3907]
§ Nigel GriffithsAny former trawlerman whose claim is either rejected, or who considers that the amount of compensation received is incorrect, can apply, in the first instance, to the assistant director of the employment relations directorate responsible for the operation of the38W scheme for a review of the decision. If he is still not satisfied with the outcome, he can appeal to the independent adjudicator appointed for the scheme.
Ten appeals have been submitted to the independent adjudicator so far. One has been upheld, four disallowed and five are still under consideration. All are from the north-east. None of the appeals dealt with so far by the independent adjudicator has been from Scotland or Wales.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate she has made of the number of former Icelandic waters trawlermen who are eligible for compensation but who have not yet applied from each region and nation of the UK; [3904]
(2) what assessment she has made of the geographical distribution of applications from former Icelandic waters trawlermen; and what steps she will take to encourage applications from all parts of the UK. [3905]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe compensation scheme for former Icelandic water trawlermen has been well publicised in the main port areas throughout the United Kingdom through the port MPs and the British fishermen's associations. Payments under the scheme are available by area, but there is no similar analysis of all applications.
As a result of the widespread publicity, I believe that most former trawlermen who are eligible for compensation under the scheme have already submitted claims. Applications can be submitted until 1 October 2002.