§ Viscount BROOKEBOROUGHasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why it was decided to include a stipulation in the recently announced scheme to assist the fishing industry that boats must fish for a certain number of days during the six month period in order to qualify for subsidy ; and what measures will be taken to ensure that Northern Ireland fishing vessels which catch a mixture of prawns and white fish will not be treated unfairly under the scheme.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of INDUSTRY (Lord Beswick)The temporary subsidy was introduced to avoid radical contraction of the fishing fleet leading to permanent structural damage ; and the purpose of the requirement that vessels must fish for a qualifying minimum number of days is to ensure that subsidy payments are made only in respect of vessels which are kept actively in fishing. It is not the intention that voyages undertaken for white fish and herring which yield a mixed catch should be ineligible and consideration is now being given to appropriate administrative arrangements for dealing with them.