Fishing Industry (Hansard, 2 March 1964)

§ 27. Mr. Wall
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for assisting the British fishing industry which is now having to face reduced fishing grounds and an increase in foreign landings.

§ Mr. Soames
When the work of the European Fisheries Conference is completed, I will be considering whether any further assistance to the fishing industry may be necessary.

§ Mr. Wall
Is my right hon. Friend aware that Britain is the largest market for fish in Europe, and when the E.E.C. countries work out their own policy will he undertake to negotiate their entry into this market in return for our entry into the foreign fishmarkets?

§ Mr. Soames
As my hon. Friend knows, we were hoping to discuss trade in fish at this conference, but because the fact that the E.E.C. countries have not yet formulated their common fisheries policy this year we have not been able to take this far; but, of course, I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that trade in fish must be a matter of international discussion, and as soon as the E.E.C. countries have formulated their policy perhaps we may be able to proceed further.

§ Mr. Hector Hughes
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that he is far too complacent about the needs of the British fishing industry and that certain unilateral action by foreign fishing nations has made this question more urgent? Will he look into this with a view to seeing that adequate assistance is given to the British fishing industry so that it can continue to survive?

§ Mr. Soames
If more evidence were needed of our determination to ensure the satisfactory continuance of our fishing it could be found in all the legislation brought forward by this Government over the past years. Of course we shall continue to ensure that the industry prospers.

§ 28. Mr. Wall
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps either to limit the recent heavy landings of fish by foreign vessels or to obtain the removal of restrictions against the landing of fish by British vessels in European Economic Community and European Free Trade Area countries.

§ Mr. Soames
I am keeping in touch with the position, but I see no grounds for special measures.

§ Mr. Wall
Is my right hon. Friend aware that nearly all European countries discriminate against the landing of British-caught fish and that if this continues the industry will have to adopt its own methods of checking these large-scale imports?

§ Mr. Soames
As to the imports of fish, in January, 1963, there were bigger landings of both British and foreign caught fish compared with the year previously, the total being 313,000 cwt. compared with 302,000 cwt. The price per cwt. was better, and there has been a considerable improvement this year compared with last year.

§ Mr. Hoy
But even then the industry is still showing losses. The one thing we have here is a market. May we have an assurance that the right hon. Gentleman has given due prominence to this in recent negotiations, that we may, in fact, barter our market against the fishing grounds of other countries which have taken steps to deny our fishermen the right to fish in them?

§ Mr. Soames
We have our market, and we also have our international obligations. This is very much in the minds of the Government.