§ 12. Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further consultations he has had with representatives of the Scottish fishing industry with regard to the possible consequences of entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI have nothing to add to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 4th November in which my right hon. Friend stated that he and his right hon. Friends are well aware of the anxieties of the fishing industry and that they are taking them into account in the negotiations.—[Vol. 805, c. 376.]
§ Mr. StrangThe Scottish inshore fishing industry is most concerned about the Government's intentions in this matter. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that concern was increased by a statement made by his right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the House on 17th November? In order to heal the damage, will the hon. Gentleman urge his right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Agriculture to issue a statement listing those aspects of the Common Market common fisheries policy which are utterly unacceptable and not negotiable?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI assure the hon. Gentleman that I am as concerned as he is. I have considerable fishing interests in my own constituency, and I am well aware of what is involved. These are matters for negotiation, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that the interests of the inshore fishing industry in general and the industry in Scotland in particular are being fully taken into account in the negotiations.
§ Mr. GrimondIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Answer given to me in November and his present Answer are unsatisfactory in that we are constantly assured about concern but in the meantime the common fisheries policy is drawn up without our being represented, with potentially disastrous effects for our fishing industry? Will he give an assurance that he is strongly pressing the Foreign Office on this matter, as so far it has had absolutely no effect on fishing policy, and 1264 the sooner it gets down to representing us in Brussels, the better?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe right hon. Gentleman knows only too well that the question of what policy the Common Market countries have at the moment is their concern. As he was told in a letter, and as he knows, we made strong representations that the E.E.C. countries should hold off their discussions until they negotiated with us, but they decided not to do so. In the circumstances, as I have said, we are making the strongest possible representations in relation to our interests.
§ Mr. Wolrige-GordonI thank my hon. Friend for his replies so far. Will he confirm that the Government's position is that they will join the E.E.C. only provided the terms are right? At present the terms are not right for the inshore fishing industry.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithNo questions have yet been decided as regards our fishing industry. I assure my hon. Friend that his points will be borne in mind.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has spoken of certain protections within the E.E.C. common fisheries policy. Can the hon. Gentleman say what derogations from the provisions for equality of access are permitted by the policy? For example, would the Minch be closed to foreign vessels? What protections are there against excessive exploitation? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is vital that the interests of the fishing industry, and particularly the inshore fishing industry, be protected during negotiations and not afterwards?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe hon. Gentleman is raising a number of completely hypothetical questions. I ask him to accept the assurance, in view of the points mentioned in the House this afternoon and my own interest in the matter, that we are very carefully looking after the interests of our inshore fishing industry.
§ 22. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the dangers to the Scottish inshore fishing industry resulting from the fishing industry plans of the present members of the European 1265 Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe only direct representation my right hon. Friend has received on this subject came from the Herring Industry Advisory Council. He has also received copies of other representations made to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The reply given on 4th November to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) stated the present position.—[Vol. 805, c. 376.]
§ Sir J. GilmourWill my hon. Friend make special representations to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about the importance to Scotland of the inshore fishing industry and at the same time tell him that, in European Conservation Year, he should be making moves to stop industrial fishing in the North Sea and saying that we will have nothing to do with anyone coming inside our limits?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI will convey my hon. Friend's views to my right hon. and learned Friend.
§ Mr. MaclennanWill the hon. Gentleman now answer the factual question I put to him? Will he say what derogations from the provisions for equality of access are permitted by the E.E.C. common fisheries policy and whether he believes that the Scottish fishing industry will be able to take advantage of them?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI would have thought that the hon. Gentleman would realise, from the time when his Government were negotiating, that these are questions for negotiation and must be left to the Government to do. The interests of the Scottish fishing industry are fully taken into account in Europe.
§ Mr. Clark HutchisonDoes not my hon. Friend realise that all these difficulties would not arise and that we should not have any trouble if we did not go into the Common Market and kept control of fishing rights in our own hands at Westminster?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI am always interested to hear the robust views of my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison).
§ Mr. EadieIs not the best way to safeguard the inshore fishermen's posi- 1266 tion to read the report published today by the Economic Research Institute on the question of entry into the Common Market, which completely demolishes the arguments for going in? The whole thing is a nonsense. Why not convey to the Prime Minister the need to read the report so that we can save the inshore fishermen from their dangerous position?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe hon. Gentleman might first have conveyed his views to the Leader of the Opposition.
25. Mr. W. H. K. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the interests of the inshore fishing fleet are safeguarded should Great Britain join the European Economic Community, in the light of European Economic Community fisheries policies due to come into operation in February of next year.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI am conscious of the anxieties of the fishing industry in Scotland. However, at this stage, I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 16th November to the hon. Member for Lewisham, North (Mr. Moyle).—[Vol. 806, c. 840–1.]
Mr. BakerDoes my hon. Friend accept that the very minimum acceptable terms to the inshore fishing industry of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom is the retention of the 12-mile and three-mile limit and that nothing less than that will do?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI will convey my hon. Friend's views to my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
§ Mr. Robert HughesCan the hon. Gentleman now give a straight answer to a straight question? How far is he prepared to concede the rights of the Scottish inshore fishermen in order to get into the Common Market?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThere are other factors in relation to fishermen which are under negotiation. We have to look at the negotiations as a whole. I have assured the House, as my right hon. and learned Friend has done, that the interests of the inshore fishing industry will be attended to, as well as the interests of other sectors of the industry.
§ Mr. GrimondAs, so far, we have made no progress on this matter, will the hon. Gentleman consider sending a representative of the Scottish Office, perhaps the Secretary of State, to put our case?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI assure the right hon. Gentleman that Scotland's interests in the negotiations are well looked after and cared for.
§ 27. Mr. Murrayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make an official visit to Brussels during the current Common Market negotiations.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellMy hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Development visited Brussels on 7th and 8th September. I myself shall not hesitate to go if my presence is required.
§ Mr. MurrayI should like to see the present Secretary of State go to Brussels but, in the absence of such a visit, would he take an opportunity to make a statement about what conditions he considers to be essential to maintain Scottish interests in these negotiations? Is he particularly aware that there is some anxiety in Scotland about guaranteeing regional economic policies as they affect Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and Wales? Is he further aware that in the original negotiations in regard to Italy a special protocol for the regional economic policy of Southern Italy and Sicily was agreed?
§ Mr. CampbellThe hon. and learned Gentleman seems to be asking for a full statement. Although I understand his aims, I would advise him that in diplomacy it is not a propitious or effective way of starting negotiations to make a public statement of all the things one wishes to achieve. I am aware of concern for Scotland, including the very important matters affecting the fishing industry, but I hope that the hon. and learned Gentleman knows that our ambassador to the Common Market is a Scot who has always kept his home in Edinburgh and that I saw him very recently.
§ Sir J. GilmourWhen the Secretary of State does make a visit, will he travel in an inshore fishing vessel from his con- 1268 stituency in the Moray Firth and discuss the problem en route?
§ Mr. CampbellHaving on many occasions spent several days in fishing vessels based at Lossiemouth in my constituency, I can think of no better way of going there.