§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will show the overall costings which have led them to authorise the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to privatise fishery and other offshore policing air patrols rather than continuing to make use of existing aircraft, and what will be the saving to the taxpayer.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)Following a thorough review of the arrangements for fishery protection in United Kingdom waters, Ministers concluded that, while marine surveillance and enforcement should remain with the Royal Navy, aerial surveillance of fishing vessels could be carried out effectively and at lower cost by using civilian aircraft of a lighter type, capable of operating at lower speeds than the RAF Nimrods presently employed on this task. The review included a full assessment, based on appropriate assumptions, of the costs to the Exchequer of the alternative options of continuing with the present arrangements and of moving to a 533WA civilian operation. This indicated a cost advantage to the Exchequer from civilianisation. The precise saving to the taxpayer eventually achieved will of course depend on the contracts to be negotiated for civilian aircraft by the two fisheries departments concerned.