§ 5. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the fact that the present inshore survey vessels are now getting rather old, he will take action to replace them with vessels more suitable to protect fishing rights in coastal waters.
§ Dr. GilbertThe Ministry of Defence, together with other interested Departments, is at present considering the choice of a suitable design of patrol vessel to succeed the Ton class of mine countermeasures vessels which are used for fishery protection duties in coastal waters, the Channel, and the Irish Sea. The inshore survey craft to which my hon. Friend refers are not used on fishery protection.