HC Deb 05 March 1980 vol 980 cc261-2W
Dr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes), whether the Natural Environment Research Council took its decision to place its order for trawler conversion in a Belgium shipyard in the knowledge that the Belgian Government provided aid to their domestic shipowners; and, if so, whether any schemes for preferential credit, to enable British shipyards to provide competitive tenders for the order, were considered.

Mr. Macfarlane

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 25 February.—[Vol. 979, c.460.]

Dr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields on 28 February on the Natural Environment Research Council's trawler conversion, what was the difference in cost between a secondhand vessel and a new one; and what were the special requirements which necessitated the purchase of a French vessel.

Mr. Macfarlane

The council was advised by consultants that a new vessel would have cost nearly twice as much as the purchase and conversion of a secondhand one. A French vessel was purchased because an extensive survey revealed that at the time there was no British vessel available of the size and type required for conversion for the council's research purposes. These requirements were for a stern trawler about 130 ft. long with a draught not exceeding 14 ft.