§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the next decommissioning scheme for beam trawlers; and by how many boats he intends to reduce the fleet. [80431]
§ Mr. MorleyI have no plans to introduce a decommissioning scheme for beam trawlers. UK targets for this fleet segment under the EU' s Multi-Annual Guidance Programme (MAGP IV) are currently being addressed by the arrangements for managing fishing effort which I announced on 24 February 1998,Official Report, columns 187–88.