To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of boardings by the Fisheries Protection Squadron (FPS) from 1746 in 1997 to 1279 in 2006; what the number of boardings were per FPS (a) vessel and (b) sortie in each such year; and if he will make a statement. (166203)

The reduction in the number of inspections at sea since 1997 can largely be attributed to:

(a) a reduction in the overall number of fishing vessels in the European fleet;

(b) a reduction in the number of patrol days; and

(c) a progressive move to a more targeted approach to inspection.

The number of inspections per patrol vessel is set out below for 1999 and 2006. Information on the number of inspections per vessel for 1997 and on the number of inspections per sortie is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many patrol days have been lost for the River Class offshore patrol vessels as a result of (a) routine maintenance, (b) non-routine maintenance and (c) repairs in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (166432)

I have been asked to reply.

No patrol days have been lost by the River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels during the last 12 months. Each vessel undergoes two planned routine maintenance periods each year: one of nine days duration and one of 16 days duration. During the last 12 months all non-routine maintenance and repairs were carried out within the routine maintenance periods or at other times when the vessels were not engaged on operational duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many patrol days each class of Fisheries Protection Squadron vessel will be available in each year of the new agreement beginning on 1 April 2008; and if he will make a statement. (166465)

I have been asked to reply.

Under the new Fisheries Protection Agreement between the MOD and DEFRA, which is due to begin on 1 April 2008, the River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels will be available for a total of 700 days during the first 12 months of the agreement. Thereafter, their availability will be between 650 and 750 days in each year. Each River class vessel will also undergo two planned routine maintenance periods each year: one of nine days duration and one of 16 days duration. The Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure vessels will also provide additional Fishery Protection duties, as and when required, although they will not be contracted to provide a set number of days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which dates there have been no Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron offshore patrol vessels in operation in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (166466)

During the period 1 November 2006 to 31 October 2007, the dates when no River class patrol vessels were in operation on fisheries protection duties are shown in the following table.