Scotland Act 1998 (Specification of Devolved Tax) (Wild Fisheries) Order 2017

Debate between Earl of Cork and Orrery and Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

Wednesday 29th November 2017 Grand Committee

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister will be pleased to hear I have nothing to say on this subject.

[The Earl of Cork and Orrery (CB)]

I thank the Minister for his cogent explanation. I declare an interest as the spouse of the part-owner of a west coast river.

There is great concern among those involved with district salmon fishery boards on the west coast of Scotland that this clarification of the law is intended to cover a deeper purpose. We currently pay what used to be called fishery rates, or sporting rates. That money is returned to us in the form of support for the district salmon fishery boards. In general terms this has been a very satisfactory arrangement and has allowed the employment of marine biologists to assist riparian management and so on. The concern is that this measure in effect allows the Government to separate the two strands and use that money as part of the general tax pool, and then return what they wish to the district salmon fishery boards, which will thereby over time suffer attrition that may well be a downward trend. Will the Minister therefore give an assurance that all money raised by this measure will be returned to the district salmon fishery boards or their equivalent?