§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what targets she has set for the decommissioning of the UK fishing fleet; and if she will take steps to ensure that the oldest boats and lines constitute the same proportion of boats decommissioned as they do of the entire fleet; [138089]
631W(2) whether the UK's decommissioning plans are supported by binary decommissioning of fishing vessels within EU member states; [138090]
(3) what estimate she has made of the likely number of vessels in the UK fishing fleet in each of the next 10 years; [138091]
(4) what assessment she has made of the effects on fishing communities of the decommissioning of the UK fishing fleet; [138092]
(5) what estimate she has made of the cost of a benefits package in relation to decommissioning of the UK fishing fleet; [138093]
(6) what estimate she has made of the cost of the process of decommissioning the UK fishing fleet; [138094]
(7) what plans there are for decommissioning fishing fleets in other EU member states; [138096]
(8) what branches of the Civil Service are covered by paragraph 14(7) of Statutory Instrument 2669. [138097]
§ Mr. BradshawThe objective of the 2003 decommissioning schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland is to remove 15–20 per cent. of the 2001 effort on cod in the North Sea and west of Scotland fisheries (Northern Ireland have also targeted vessels catching cod in the Irish Sea). We are therefore focusing the schemes on those vessels which spend most time fishing for cod. The age of the vessels is not relevant in that context.
Other member states will decide for themselves whether a decommissioning scheme is appropriate to their particular circumstances. However the effort control measures that are in place under the Community's 2003 Days at Sea scheme apply to the fleets of all European Union countries fishing in the North Sea and west of Scotland—not simply the UK.
While the Government are keen to reduce overcapacity within the European fleet, we have set no targets for the future size of the UK fleet.
We are working with the Regional Development Agencies to ensure that the full range of Government support and regional funding is made available as appropriate to individuals and businesses in fishing communities in order to enable them to deal with the consequences of decommissioning.
More than £60 million has been made available within the UK for decommissioning and associated financial support in 2003.
It is for applicants to the schemes to decide the basis for their decommissioning bids, but these may include any anticipated costs of decommissioning e.g scrapyard fees.
The provisions of the decommissioning scheme in England (as defined in Statutory Instrument 2669) are enforced by the staff of the Department's Sea Fisheries Inspectorate.