HC Deb 08 June 1999 vol 332 cc245-6W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 21 May 1999,Official Report, columns 451–52 on spending priorities, what has been the total grant paid through the fisheries grant scheme in each of the last five years; and what was the total grant allocation available for spending. [85853]

Mr. Morley

The grant paid, in each of the last five years, for fishing vessel safety equipment grants, harbour grants, processing and marketing grants and port facilities grants against the grant allocation held by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for these schemes was as follows:

£
Year Allocation Grant paid
1994–95 5,819,000 5,060,452
1995–96 4,827,000 3,315,804
1996–97 4,572,000 1,573,884
1997–98 4,572,000 2,781,378
1998–99 4,072,000 2,176,749

Mr. Steen

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many grants and to what value have been given to the fishermen from (i) Brixham, (ii) Paignton, (iii) Kingswear, (iv) Dartmouth, (v) Salcombe and (vi) the West Country in total for harbour and fishing vessel safety equipment in each of the last five years. [85852]

Mr. Morley

No grants under the national harbour grant scheme or the EU port facilities grant scheme have been awarded to Brixham, Dartmouth, Kingswear, Paignton or Salcombe in the last five years. The numbers of projects and value of grants awarded to the West Country (Devon and Cornwall) under both schemes is as follows:

£
Year Projects Amounts
1994–95 4 112,000
1995–96 2 12,000
1996–97 3 66,000
1997–98 6 99,000
1998–99 2 112,000
Total 17 401,000

Information on numbers and value of grants for fishing vessel safety equipment is not held by port or region and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total grants available from (i) his Department and (ii) the EU for each of the last 10 years for fishing safety measures. [85952]

Mr. Morley

Prior to the introduction of the Fishing Vessels (Safety Improvements) (Grants) Scheme 1993 fishing safety measures were subsumed in the wider fishing vessel modernisation schemes and separate funding figures for these elements are not available. From 1993–94 the figures for this and subsequent schemes are as follows:

£000
Year National (UK) EU (England)
1993–94 1,800 0
1994–95 2,500 50
1995–96 1,177 213
1996–97 965 212
1997–98 965 212
1998–99 965 212

Mr. Salmond

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants will be available from (i) his Department and (ii) the EU for each of the next three years for fishing safety measures. [85953]

Mr. Morley

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 21 May 1999,Official Report, columns 451–52 on spending priorities. This made clear that the fishing vessel safety equipment grants scheme was being closed to new applicants from that day. Thus, no further grants will be available for fishing safety measures from the Department. Neither will EU grants be available as these require national co-funding. However, all grant approvals in respect of applications received before 21 May will be honoured.

Mr. Steen

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 21 May 1999,Official Report, columns 451–52 on spending priorities, what was the legislative authority for the introduction of the fishing vessel safety equipment grant; and what compliance cost assessment was carried out (a) at its introduction and (b) prior to its discontinuation. [85854]

Mr. Morley

The legislative authority for nationally funded fishing vessel safety equipment grants is the Fishing Vessels (Safety Improvements) (Grants) Scheme1995 (SI 1995 No 1609) made under section 15 of the Fisheries Act 1981. The legislative authority for EU grants and the necessary national back-up grant is the Fisheries and Aquaculture Structures (Grants) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No 1576).

Compliance cost assessments are not required for the introduction or discontinuation of grant schemes such as these.