To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the number of United Kingdom fishing vessels that has been decommissioned in each of the last three years; and what has been the cost of this exercise. [36114]

There was no UK decommissioning scheme in 1992–93. Some 135 vessels were decommissioned under the 1993–94 scheme at a cost of £7.8 million, and 162 were decommissioned under the 1994–95 scheme at a cost of £8.8 million.