§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has of the(a) value and (b) destination of EU grants for (i) new fishing vessels and (ii) decommissioning of fishing vessels in each year since 1997. [60156]
§ Mr. MorleyNo EU grants have been awarded in the UK since 1997 for the construction of new fishing vessels.
There have been decommissioning schemes in 1997 and 2001–02. The 1997 scheme was a UK-wide programme. 104 vessels were decommissioned at a cost of £13.9 million. For 2001–02 separate schemes are in place in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The English scheme is complete but approvals continue in the other schemes. Estimates of the results of the schemes are as follows:
Number of vessels Cost £ million England 32 6.1 Scotland 97 24.8 N. Ireland 30 4.5 Total 159 35.4