Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he was first informed that there had been no successful applications for FEOGA grants for new fishing boats in the recent allocations by the EEC; what was the closing date for appeal against this decision; when Northern Irish applicants were advised of the closing dates for appeal; what information was available to him on the degree of completeness of some Northern Irish applications before he knew that they had been rejected; if he has all necessary documentation to ensure that applications were complete; and if he will make a statement on the role of his Department in assisting applicants for FEOGA grants for new fishing boats.
§ Mr. Viggers[holding answer 1 February 1988]: The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland became aware that no Northern Ireland projects for new fishing boats submitted under the first round of EC regulation 4028/86 were to be approved by the Commission when the draft decisions were tabled for the opinion of the Standing Committee on Fisheries Structures at its meeting on 11 December 1987. There is no appeals procedure against these Commission decisions but in the Standing Committee the United Kingdom delegation made representations regarding the low level of aid to Northern Ireland.
In the early autumn the Department became aware from informal contacts that the Commission intended strictly to apply powers which exist in the regulation to reject as incomplete those applications not accompanied by plans and specifications for new boats. The Commission decisions resulting from the application of this rule agree with the Department's records, except for three cases where plans were submitted but the Commission has rejected the application as incomplete because of the absence of plans.
In common with the other Fisheries Departments, the Department of Agriculture make application forms and explanatory leaflets available to prospective applicants. When any additional or supplementary information is obtained from the Commission, this is made available to fishermen's representative organisations. The Department is responsible for the initial receipt of applications and onward submission to the Commission along with certification that the project forms part of the United Kingdom's multi-annual guidance programme, the extent and form of member state aid, the VAT status of the applicant and details of any existing boat belonging to the applicant. However, responsibility for the completion of applications rests with the applicant or his agent.