HC Deb 20 January 1997 vol 288 c504W
Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake to meet any future funding deficit of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee. [11782]

Mr. Jonathan Evans

No. Provision for the funding of sea fisheries committees is included in the annual local government revenue settlement. The funding of committees is a matter for the participating authorities.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to support the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee to allow it to fulfil its increased statutory responsibilities as manager of the marine environment. [11783]

Mr. Evans

Sea fisheries committees are one of a large number of fisheries and conservation groups which have been granted relevant authority status under EU conservative directives. It will be some time before the committees can assess what, if any, specific role they will agree to accept under these directives, and they have been advised that any resource implications will be discussed with them at the appropriate time.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effects of the reorganisation of local authorities in Wales on the funding and effectiveness of sea fisheries committees. [11784]

Mr. Evans

Ministers and officials have met sea fisheries committees on several occasions to discuss this matter, and a further meeting is planned for this week. We have also written, on a number of occasions, to all the local authorities concerned, inviting them to advise us of any proposals they have for the future of sea fisheries committees. No proposals have come forward which have the support of all the authorities involved.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional resources will be made available if sea fisheries committees are given additional powers to develop regional management of fisheries as part of a review of the common fisheries policy. [11785]

Mr. Evans

There are no plans for sea fisheries committees to develop regional management of fisheries as part of a review of the common fisheries policy.