§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction has been made in the number of Ton class vessels engaged on fishery protection; when the reduction was made; and why.
§ Mr. DuffyAlthough the total strength of the Home Division of the Fishery Protection Squadron fluctuates slightly from time to time because of the refit programme, there has been no reduction in the coverage of the coastal patrols.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the time of the vessels of the Fishery Protection Squadron is spent on fishery protection and oil protection duties as compared with other naval duties; and what is the annual cost of providing the squadron's protection services.
§ Mr. DuffyThe ships of the Fishery Protection Squadron are employed practically full time on fishery and offshore protection work, but whilst on patrol opportunity is taken for the mine countermeasures vessels to practise their wartime rôle, and some of them participate occasionally in naval exercises.
The cost of operating the ships of the Home Division of the squadron is approximately £3.5 million a year at September 1976 prices. On the same basis, the cost of operating the Offshore Division, when all five Island class ships are in service, will be approximately £2.5 million a year.