Dr. Mark Mellett:

I am glad the Deputy asked about the Naval Service because there are challenges in this area. Ships have been stopped for personnel reasons and for mechanical reasons. There was a loss of 5% of the total patrol days this year, which is minimal. I would like to see the letter from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. I know the chief executive well and we engage regularly. We will address any challenges in delivering defence or Government services. There is a shift in the Naval Service in the context of the delivery of fisheries protection towards more risk-assessed boardings and inspections. This doctrine developed in my time in the service when a boarding operation took seven hours before the truth was established. At the end of the seven hours, we found one of the most sophisticated means of flouting the Common Fisheries Policy that we had come across. The vessels had been inspected many times before but they were short inspections. Now we profile vessels to ensure they are not flouting the Common Fisheries Policy. The new risk-based approach means the number of inspections is going to go down. If, as the Deputy said, there has been a reduction of 20% that would tally with my experience but I can get further details for her if she requires.

I am very proud of the Naval Service but the decisions - whether they relate to Operation Sophia or Operation Pontus - are for Government to make. I give advice but the final call is a policy matter. I was asked if Operation Sophia is an acceptable deployment for us and for the 25 other states which are part of it. The general staff considered it an acceptable deployment and advised accordingly.

The decision to be a nine-ship service was also made by the Government and is covered in the programme for Government. Now we have to start the arrangements for the manning of the ninth ship.