To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contingency provisions are in place to provide fisheries enforcement in the event of all three river class offshore patrol vessels being unavailable for operation at the same time under the terms of the contract for the use of the Fishery Protection Squadron which enters into force on 1 April 2008; and if he will make a statement. (171681)

The agreement drawn up, which enters into force with effect from 1 April 2008, does not provide any contingency for a situation where all three River Class vessels are unavailable for fishery protection duties. In discussion with the Ministry of Defence, the Marine and Fisheries Agency considered that the risk of having no fishery protection cover for any lengthy period was low. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Defence would seek to provide suitable replacement patrol vessels if there is extended “time off task” by one of the River Class Patrol vessels.