Section 7 Application for grant
In considering whether or not to approve an application for the payment of a grant under this Scheme, the Ministers—
shall have regard to the needs and interests of the sea fish industry or to that section thereof to which the application relates, but
shall not approve the application so far as it relates to any proportion or item of the proposed expenditure which in their opinion is unnecessary or unwarranted having regard to the benefit likely to be derived from the expenditure in respect of which the application is made; and
in the case of an improvement, shall not approve the application unless they are satisfied that the expenditure in relation to which the grant will be payable is likely to result in an increase in the efficiency or economy of the operation of the vessel in respect of or in connection with which the application is made as regards one or more of the following matters, that is to say—
the catching of sea fish,
the handling, processing or storage of sea fish,
the working conditions of the officers or crew,
the condition of sea fish or of sea fish products at the time of landing, and
the safety and seaworthiness of the vessel,
regard being had to the technical and economic standards prevailing in the sea fish industry at the time of the consideration of the application by the Ministers and to the results of any experiments and research which have relation to the subject of the particular expenditure.
No grant shall be paid under this Scheme unless—
the application for the payment of the grant has been approved by the Ministers before 31st December 1991; and
the conditions set out in paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Scheme have been complied with.