§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 27 February,Official Report, columns 612–14, what proportion of funding for the proposed decommissioning scheme for the fishing industry has been allocated by (a) the European Community and (b) Her Majesty's Government over the period concerned, giving these sums both as a percentage and as a capital sum.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. Friend has explained that expenditure on decommissioning will be limited to £25 million. Assuming that all expenditure is eligible the Community will reimburse between 50 and 70 per cent. depending on the method of withdrawal. However, the EC budget is funded in such a way that the United Kingdom taxpayer will have to meet 73 per cent. of the Community contribution as well as all the national contribution. The net result of this is that the United Kingdom taxpayer will have to contribute about £20 million of the £25 million available for decommissioning or in percentage terms about 80 per cent. of the total.