The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme 1997

Reduction, withholding and recovery of grant

17.  If at any time after the Ministers have approved an application in respect of any vessel it appears to them that any of the relevant conditions, or any undertakings provided in relation to that vessel under paragraph 13, have been breached or have not been complied with and in particular (without prejudice to the generality of such conditions or undertakings) that—

(a) the application or any part of it was not an application which the applicant was entitled under paragraph 3 to make;

(b) the applicant or an employee, servant or agent of an applicant—

(i) has failed to comply with any requirement imposed by paragraphs 8 to 10 and 14;

(ii) has intentionally obstructed any officer in the exercise of his powers under paragraph 15; or

(iii) has given information on any matter relevant to the giving of the approval or the making of a payment relevant to the approval which is false or misleading in a material respect;

(c) there has been damage or destruction of the vessel resulting in the payment to any person of any amount under a policy of insurance or by way of compensation or damages (regardless of whether or not the method of decommissioning the vessel had been approved under paragraph 8(2) before such damage or destruction occurred),

they may revoke the approval of such application in whole or in part or may reduce or withhold any grant in respect of the application and, where payment by way of grant has been made, may on demand recover, as a civil debt or, in Scotland, as a debt, an amount equal to the whole or any part of the payment which has been so made.