§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent fishing vessel owners will be required to pay in advance the survey fees under the Safety Provision Rules 1975.
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§ Mr. Clinton DavisApplicants for surveys under the Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975 are asked to deposit the whole amount of the appropriate fee at time of application, but on occasions part of the fee has been accepted with a written undertaking that the balance will be paid on completion of the survey and prior to the issue of a United Kingdom Fishing Vessel Certificate.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient slipways in suitable locations around the coast to undertake the additional work necessary as a result of the Fishing Vessels Safety Provisions Rules 1975; and whether he proposes to take any steps with a view to increasing the number of slipways.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisThere is a shortage of slips in some areas although not in the North-East of England. There is, however, often access to suitable hards where local fishing vessels can be surveyed out of the water. For the purpose of the Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975 arrangements are being made for vessels to be seen by the Department's surveyors at the same time and place that the owner would normally take his vessel out of the water for regular maintenance or other reasons. Slipping facilities are provided on a commercial basis, and the provisions of additional facilities in a particular area would be a matter of commercial judgment.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many surveyors will be appointed to examine fishing vessels under the Safety Provisions Rules 1975; where they will be stationed; which areas will be covered from each position; whether a separate account will be kept for the resulting income and expenditure; what is the estimated annual income; and whether it is intended that no profit will be made on the work.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisInitially 16 surveyors stationed at Aberdeen, Buckie, Fraserburgh, Leith, Grennock, Newcastle, Hull, Grimsby, Great Yarmouth, Fleet-wood, Brixham and Southampton. The five offices in Scotland cover the fleet north of the border; Hull and Newcastle cover the North-East of England south to606W the River Humber; Grimsby covers the East of England south to the Wash, up to and including Forsdyke; Great Yarmouth covers the South-East of England from the Wash round to Bognor Regis; Southampton and Brixham cover the coast from Bognor Regis to Aberystwyth; while Fleetwood covers the remainder of Wales, the North-West of England and Northern Ireland.
Records are being kept from which it will be possible to check income from fishing vessel survey fees against the actual cost of providing the service. It was estimated that during the phasing-in period of the rules the annual revenue from fees would be as follows:
£ 1975–76 60,000 1976–77 70,000 1977–78 160,000 1978–79 180,000 1979–80 180,000 1980–81 550,000 It is not intended to make either a profit or a loss on the work.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Trade what the requirement will be for the fitting of radios in inshore fishing vessels under the Safety Provisions Rules 1975; if these rules require vessels to carry survival suits for crew members: and, if so, what pattern or standard.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisThe Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975 require the carriage of portable radio equipment on fishing vessels of 17 metres in length and over. They do not require the carriage of survival suits for crew members, but work is being undertaken in consultation with manufacturers on producing a suitable specification for these.
The Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) Rules 1974 require the fitting of a medium frequency radio telephone receiver and transmitter, a loudspeaker watchkeeping receiver and two-tone signal generating equipment on fishing vessels of 12 metres in length and over operating within a prescribed area. Subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, however, very high frequency equipment may be substituted in certain circumstances where it is clear that fishing will take place within vhf range and no loss in safety will be involved.