§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many letters he received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the recommendations of the Black report on angling; in each case, how many of these
Number of Submissions Number of Signatures Appended Number from Individuals Number from Organisations Generally Supportive of Black Proposals 10 10 3 7 Significant Changes Suggested 7 7 3 4 Non-committal on Major Recommendations 7 7 2 5 Generally Opposed 10 26 4 6 Those who commented on the report did so in confidence; I am not at liberty to name the organisations concerned but all had a legitimate interest in the proposals. Although I am unaware of the numbers represented by those who commented, it is evident that those who opposed the Inland Fisheries Board represented a greater number than those who supported the proposal.
The information requested in respect of the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland is published in the board's annual reports. Income derived by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland from the sale of angling permits is published annually in the report on the sea and inland fisheries of Northern Ireland. Copies of these documents are available in the Library. There are 46W each case the number of phones provided for each year, and indicating when, in each year, the sums allocated for such work were expended and indicating the waiting list at the end of each year, or financial year.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation for 1979, 1980 and 1981 is as follows:
letters were from individuals; how many signatures were appended; how many letters were from organisations; and if he will name the organisations and indicate their total membership and the interest of each of the organisations in angling;
(2) what was the total income to the Fisheries Conservancy Board and to the Department of Agriculture from (a) anglers and (b) nets in respect of: (i) game fish and (ii) coarse fish in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; what in each case were the total outgoings; and by how much and to what level the licence fees would have to increase to cover any deficit.
§ Mr. Adam ButlerThirty-four written comments on the report of the committee of inquiry into angling in Northern Ireland were received. In addition, oral comments were received from a number of individuals and organisations and the views of a substantial number of individual anglers using public angling waters have been ascertained.
Many of the written comments submitted neither clearly supported nor opposed the main recommendations of the report and the most informative analysis of the comments is set out in the table below:
no plans to effect full recovery of the Department's deficit in respect of the discharge of its functions in relation to salmon and inland fisheries.