11. Mr. W. H. K. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement regarding negotiations with Iceland on that country's unilateral 920 extension of its fishing limits to 50 miles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI have nothing to add to the statement I made on 22nd January.—[Vol. 849, c. 33–39.]
Mr. BakerAs it may eventually prove necessary for the Royal Navy to intervene, can my right hon. Friend tell the House what steps are being taken to organise support of all types and descriptions from other NATO members?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeWe are in the closest touch with NATO members and the Community on these matters. We are trying to get a peaceful negotiation started with the Icelanders. My hon. Friend will remember, and perhaps I should remind the House, that the International Court ordered us to restrict our catch to 170,000 tons. We have offered a 25 per cent. reduction on the 1971 catch. That is well within the International Court's ruling. We have made that offer with the consent and co-operation of the industry.
We do not want to have a conflict with Iceland. We will do everything we can to avoid it. I admit that the time may come, as I said the other day, when we have to use naval protection.
§ Mr. James JohnsonMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to extend, on behalf of all Members representing fishing constituencies, our deepest sympathy to the Icelandic people in their sad disaster caused by volcanic activity on the Westmann Islands? But what is happening to our negotiations with West Germany? Some months ago Germany took the same outlook as ourselves. In fact, West Germany was more belligerent than we were. There were meetings in Hamburg and elsewhere. We were told by the right hon. Gentleman that we would meet the West Germans at Bonn to discuss a joint policy. What is happening? Are they joining us in protesting to the Icelandic people?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI think that we are entirely in line with the German Government. Certain unofficial proposals were made in Germany to the effect that they might restrict imports of Icelandic fish into Germany, but that has not been adopted by the German Government so far. We are in complete line with the Germans on this matter.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsI agree entirely with my right hon. Friend that one wants to de-escalate as much as possible the conflict with Iceland. Does he agree, however, that the time may come when we shall have to get the Council of Ministers together to work out a system of perhaps boycotting all Icelandic fish products if Iceland will not adhere to the International Court's ruling?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeOf course we do not want to have to do that. We do not want to have to do anything that will push up the price of fish in this country. We have the assurance from the European Economic Community that the EEC will not apply concessions to Icelandic fish products under the recent trading agreement with Iceland unless there is a continuing solution to the fisheries dispute. So the European Communities are in line with us in this matter.
§ Mr. WellbelovedWill the Foreign Secretary confirm that this foreign registered tug is costing the British taxpayer more than £1,000 a day and that this foreign registered tug is owned by a British company that has extensive interests in the British fishing industry? Would it not be a far better use of British taxpayers' money and an exercise for the Royal Navy if one of Her Majesty's ships were undertaking this vital task of giving aid and protection to British seamen?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeFor the hon. Gentleman's information I can say that the vessel has been chartered by the Department of Trade and Industry. I hope that it will shortly become wholly British-owned and registered. That would be much the most satisfactory solution of the problem.
§ Mr. McNamaraIs the Foreign Secretary aware that we should like to see all ships flying flags of convenience subject to asset stripping by Her Majesty's Government and brought under our control? Since the tragic volcanic eruptions in Iceland, have there been any further incidents of harassment of any of our vessels? If there have not been, is it not right that we should point out to the Icelandic Government that the moment the disaster occurred, our mother ships were dispatched in the direction of the tragedy to give assistance if needed, and that that 922 is the sort of co-operation that we are prepared to give to the Icelandic people and that they in turn should consider some of our interests?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI am obliged to the hon. Gentleman. Immediately the disaster took place we sent a message to the Icelandic Prime Minister offering any help that the Icelandic people might require. The hon. Gentleman is quite right to say that our vessels set course towards the volcanic island to see whether any help could be supplied. There have not been any incidents in the last few days and I hope that there will not be any more. Almost every day I am in touch with the Icelandic Foreign Minister trying to settle a date for negotiations to start.