HC Deb 08 March 1999 vol 327 cc91-3W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what projects Spain spent the funding it received under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels. [74505]

Mr. Morley

We do not have details of actual spending by Spain under Council Regulation 3699/93 during the current structural programme (1994–99). However their planned spending on measures to reduce fishing effort during this period, as set out in their fisheries aid programme approved by the European Commission, was as follows:

Measure Projects EU aid1 National aid1
Decommissioning
Objective 1 700 275.0 118.0
Non Objective 1 200 35.9 35.9
Joint Enterprises
Objective 1 55 70.0 30.0
Non Objective 4 3.5 3.5
Temporary Joint Ventures
Objective 1 30 11.0 5.0
Non Objective 1 6 1.5 1.5

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many vessels have been scrapped under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels by(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Spain, (c) Italy, (d) Portugal, (e) Greece, (f) France, (g) Germany, (h) the Netherlands and (i) Denmark; [74502]

(2) what the funding received by the UK under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels was spent on. [74534]

Mr. Morley

Under the current EU scheme provided for in Council Regulation 3699/93, 547 vessels have been decommissioned in the UK at public expense. In recognition of their historical significance, a small number of these were placed in the care of registered museums rather than scrapped. My Department does not have this information for other member states, although information on changes in the tonnage and power of all member states' fleets up to the end of 1996 was published in the European Commission's report on the outcome of the third Multi-Annual Guidance Programme. This was the subject of MAFF Explanatory Memorandum Number 9893/97 submitted on 28 July 1997.

This accounts for all of the £14,375,370 received by the UK in reimbursement from the EU towards the cost of permanent reductions in fishing capacity.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if decommissioning money received by the United Kingdom under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels was made available in the United Kingdom to vessels fishing outside the EU waters; [74503]

(2) what proportion of vessels scrapped under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels were fishing outside the EU waters. [74504]

Mr. Morley

UK decommissioning schemes under Council Regulation 3699/93 have been limited to vessels holding licences authorising them to fish in Community waters. Although this has included certain vessels also authorised to fish outside EU waters, no vessels with material records of fishing outside EU waters have been decommissioned at public expense.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what determined the levels of funding received by(a) Spain and (b) the United Kingdom under the EU scheme to reduce fishing levels. [74506]

Mr. Morley

Funds for measures covered by Council Regulation 3699/93 were allocated by the European Union to Member States on the basis of programmes for structural aid for 1994–99. Account was taken of a number of factors including respective fleet sizes and the relative development of the regions concerned. Funding actually paid by the EU to Member States is determined by the amount of eligible expenditure that has been incurred.