To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2007, Official Report, column 409W, on Fisheries: Protection, (1) whether the Ministry of Defence provides replacement vessels in the event of a Davit fault; and if he will make a statement; (176133)

There is no specific requirement for the Ministry of Defence to provide a replacement patrol vessel in the event of a Davit fault. It is difficult to be precise as to how many patrol days would need to be missed before a replacement vessel could be provided. Provision of a replacement vessel will depend on a number of operational factors including:

(i) the time that a River class vessel is off task or unable to undertake full operational duties;

(ii) the availability of a suitable replacement ship and crew with British Sea Fisheries Officers on board; and

(iii) the importance operationally at the time of having full fisheries patrol capability available.

Time off task is regarded as any time when the patrol vessel is not undertaking patrol activity at sea either because of routine stand-off or for other reasons, for example, technical problems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 23 July 2007, Official Report, columns 649-59W on Fisheries: Protection, whether the annual cost of the new contract with the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron, beginning on 1 April 2008, will vary depending on the number of patrol days contracted in each year; and if he will make a statement. (176342)

The annual cost will depend on the number of patrol days delivered to the Marine and Fisheries Agency by the Royal Navy, the platform daily rate and an annual review of the daily rate.