§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown detailing the134W value of grants of projects or groups receiving assistance by way of EU and Scottish Office grants to the fishing industry and the fish processing industry in the current financial year, individually and in total; what funds have already been earmarked (a) in total and (b) by project where already allocated for the next three financial years; and what percentage will be under the control of the Scottish Parliament. [65797]
§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 18 January 1999]: Under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), EC and UK funding is being made available between 1994–1999 to the fishing industry and fish processing industry in Scotland for various purposes. These funds will have been allocated before the Scottish Parliament is established. Expenditure on grants under the current EU programme is as follows:
£ Funds earmarked in this financial year 3,968,397 Funds already earmarked 24,996,818 Funds remaining to be awarded 3,760,358 Funds allocated to projects over the next three financial years 5,488,651 As the information required on individual projects relating to these figures is rather lengthy, I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.
The possibility of a successor scheme and its funding is being negotiated in the context of the Agenda 2000 proposals, but such aid will not be available before January 2000. The funding for any such scheme will come under the control of the Scottish Parliament.