§ 7. Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the present regulations governing the landing of fish in British ports do not place British fishermen under a disadvantage compared with their competitors in certain Scandinavian countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesI am not aware that British fishermen are at any disadvantage against foreign fishermen as regards the landing of their fish in British ports. If my hon. Friend has in mind the effect on British fishermen of landing regulations operated in other countries, this is among the matters we would expect to be discussed at the Fisheries Conference later this year to which we have invited the Western European countries.
§ Mr. Wolrige-GordonI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply, but is he aware that there has been feeling among inshore fishermen, particularly in my constituency, about the fact that, while they 429 have been free to land their catches in Norway, they have not received the same welcome in Sweden or Denmark? As these nations have freedom to land in our ports, cannot we ensure that our own fishermen are able to land in theirs if they wish to do so?
§ Mr. SoamesAccess to markets, not only to our market but also to other European markets, will obviously be one of the major matters to be discussed at the forthcoming Fisheries Conference which has been announced.