§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what figures he has of the number of fisheries inspectors employed, at the latest available date, by each relevant European Community country, apart from the United Kingdom;
(2) what figures he has of the number of fishing protection vessels deployed at the latest available date in each relevant country in the European Community, other than the United Kingdom; and how many personnel were engaged on such vessels of each such authority.
§ Mr. CurryThe Commission's report on the common fisheries policy, dated 6 December 1990—reference SEC(90) 2244 final—includes the following information
Number of land based inspection staff Inspection vessels longer than 15 metres Belgium 3 6 Denmark 200 7 Germany 20 10 Spain 12 23 France 20 9 Ireland 7 7 Netherlands 180 12 Portugal 12 26 The report notes that the resources which some member states devote to control and enforcement are inadequate, and the Government will be pressing for improvements as part of the mid-term review of the common fisheries policy.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 25 June,Official Report, column 387, if he will set out the information available to his Ministry on the performance by private contracted vessels of the maritime fishery protection service in Scotland.
§ Mr. CurrySurface fishery protection duties in Scotland are carried out partly by the Royal Navy and partly by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency using civilian vessels. The SFPA will shortly publish its first annual report. This will analyse performance and the effectiveness of the fisheries protection services provided. A key indicator of fisheries protection performance is the number of boardings achieved. The number of boardings of fishing vessels by civilian-manned vessels of the SFPA has increased from 1,125 in 1985–86 to 2,100 in 1991–92.