To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information he holds on the levels of fuel subsidy provided to fishing fleets in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement. (204625)

[holding answer 9 May 2008]: I understand that the Spanish Government is making payments directly related to fuel used by fishermen. These payments are within the de minimis limits set out in Commission Regulation 875/2007. The payments are set at 0.095 per litre of fuel used in the period 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005.

If applied in the UK, such a scheme would cost in the order of £25 million a year, and result in a payment to fishermen of around 7.5p/litre of fuel used: around one third of the increase in the price of diesel since this time last year. Such a scheme does not address the need for the fleet to adapt to higher fuel prices in the longer term, diverts resources from assisting with this adaptation and is not sustainable.

I have no information that any other member state is making such payments.