§ Mr. Prescottasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research contracts his Department has financed for the fishing industry; and what is the total cost.
§ Mr. BishopThe total cost in 1977–78 of the contracts placed by the Ministry's Chief Scientist on marine fisheries research and development work is estimated at £6.7 million. Of this, £6.3 million is spent on research carried out by the Ministry's fisheries laboratories, with the remaining £0.4 million being for research commissioned with the Natural Environmental Research Council. The contracts cover the following commissions:
£000 Exploited marine fish 1,514 New marine fisheries 47 Shellfish 259 Fish ecology 992 Fish handling and processing 331 Fish quality 833 New fish products 371 Fishery by-products 224 Marine fish and shellfish farming 601 Pollution in aquatic environment 1,520 The Ministry also grant-aids on a pound for pound basis the cost of the
Inner London weighting area* (to nearest £100) Rest of Great Britain (to nearest £100) United Kingdom (to nearest £100) 1976 1977 1976 1977 1976 1977 £ £ £ £ £ £ Cost to public founds: Of direct cash grants to staff restaurants … … … 5,300 3,800 64,800 68,000 — — Of loans to staff restaurants … 3,000 — 1,000 — — — Of other catering facilities … — — — — 18,000 17,500 Contribution by staff towards cost of meals … … … … 36,900 18,200† 305,300 279,000† * Relates to one restaurant only which was badly damaged by fire in 1977. † Provisional.