Mr. G. Wilsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to deal with the present requirement that grant assistance for fishing vessels and engines can be given only for vessels or engines built in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. SoamesIt has been decided that having regard to the interests of the fishermen, for whom this assistance is provided, and to our international obligations, this requirement should be removed. It is intended that this decision will be put into effect in the schemes for grant assistance for the purchase of vessels and engines, which will be presented to Parliament under the Sea Fish Industry Bill when it has received the Royal Assent. A similar change will be made in the arrangements governing the provision of loan assistance for these purposes by the White Fish Authority and the Herring Industry Board.
Any applicants for grants and loans who propose to have vessels built abroad will be required to provide evidence that British yards have been given an equal chance to compete.