§ Lord Kilclooneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals there are to provide direct financial aid to the fishing vessels in Northern Ireland. [HL2651]
§ Lord Williams of Mostyn:The fisheries measures in the Northern Ireland Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity, co-funded by European Structural Funds and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development include a number of measures directly applicable to fishing vessels: decommissioning of fishing vessels; safety equipment and training; and marketing and quality on board fishing vessels.
I have put forward proposals for a new fishing vessel decommissioning scheme, and possible arrangements for transitional aid for fishermen. In addition, I shall make grant-aid available towards the extension of satellite monitoring arrangements later this year.