§ Mr. Trotterasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers have been available to the Government in the past 10 years to provide funds to assist the construction and improvement of major fishing ports; what schemes have been approved under them; and at what cost.
§ Mr. StrangSection 2 of the Fisheries Act of 1955 provides for assistance to public authorities by way of grant or loan for the execution of works for harbour construction or improvement and landward approaches where this will promote the maintenance or development of the fishing industry.
No payments were made for the years 1965–66 to 1967–68 inclusive in respect of major fishing ports in England and Wales.
From 1968–69 to 1972–73 inclusive grant of 20 per cent. was paid on approved final costs and the grant paid was as follows:
Lowestoft … … … £21,400 Grimsby … … … £33,100 Hull … … … £33,200 North Shields … … … £8,400 Fleetwood … … … £13,200 For 1973–74 and 1974–75 payments are largely for modernisation schemes which attracted a special rate of grant of 60 per cent. The total estimated costs of the schemes approved are as follows:
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- Lowestoft—£3.0 million (very little of this scheme has been put in hand).
- Grimsby—£2.0 million.
- Hull—£0.8 million.
- North Shields—£0.24 million (none of this scheme has been put in hand).
- Fleetwood—£1.1 million.
It is not certain that all the above schemes will be carried out in their entirety.