Fishing Industry (Hansard, 17 May 1978)

§ 13. Mr. Sproat
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the fishing industry.

§ 22. Mr. Henderson
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the fishing industry.

§ Mr. Millan
Despite a decline in landings, the overall earnings of the industry are slightly higher for the first quarter of 1978 by comparison with the same period in 1977, due to the continued rise in fish prices. The future prospects of the industry must of course depend largely on the state of the fish stocks and on the outcome of the negotiations for the revision of the common fisheries policy.

§ Mr. Sproat
Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm or deny the very strong rumours that changes in the CFP have already been decided in Europe and that they will not be announced for a few weeks, but that by that time it will be too late for the House to do anything practical about them? With regard to the strong recommendation of the Public Expenditure Sub-Committee, can the right hon. Gentleman say what action the Government have taken about urgently 460 examining the question of bilateral negotiations with Norway?

§ Mr. Millan
As the hon. Gentleman will know, there are difficulties about the second point that he raised. On the first point, he is talking absolute nonsense. He must know that it is absolute nonsense to suggest that there has been a secret agreement. There has been no agreement at all.

§ Mr. Henderson
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that while the fishing industry's earnings have been protected by the rise in prices, this cannot go on indefinitely because there will be consumer resistance, and that an early resolution of this matter is therefore essential? Will he give an undertaking that the House will have an opportunity to debate and vote on the final proposals for the renegotiation of the CFP and that we shall not be committed by any Minister in Brussels?

§ Mr. Millan
I agree with what the hon. Gentleman said in the first part of his question. That is why we are so anxious to get the problem resolved. On the second point, I have no doubt that any agreement reached in Brussels will be debated and, if necessary, voted upon by the House. There has been a good deal of agreement in the House about the needs of the United Kingdom fishing industry. We have had several debates already, and the robust attitude that the Government have taken up on this matter has commended itself to the House.

§ Mr. Grimond
Will the Scottish Office be represented at the forthcoming meetings in Brussels in June? Will the Government maintain their attitude to the 50-mile limit? What is the Government's attitude towards licensing?

§ Mr. Millan
The right hon. Gentleman would have to define his question about licensing a little more precisely, but I certainly see a licensing system of some sort as part of a final CFP internal regime. On the first part of the question, I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that when substantive discussions take place, my hon. Friend and I will be there.

§ Mr. Robert Hughes
Does my right hon. Friend accept that within all sections of the fishing industry in Scotland there 461 is widespread appreciation of the work that he and the Minister of Agriculture have done in defending essential British interests in relation to the CFP? Will he say to those hon. Members, especially among the Opposition, who compound and spread totally unfounded rumours that they are acting against the interests of the fishing industry by spreading such rumours, causing dissension and a feeling that we are to be let down? Will he confirm that we are standing firm?

§ Mr. Millan
I agree that it is extremely malicious to spread the suggestion that there has been a secret agreement about fisheries. It is malicious in terms not only of this House but of the fishing industry as a whole.

§ Mr. Michael Clark Hutchison
Does the Secretary of State not think that the solution to this problem is for us to get out of the Common Market as being in the Common Market has brought no benefit to the United Kingdom?

§ Mr. Millan
The solution to the problem might have been not to agree to the CFP in the first place, but that was done by the hon. Gentleman's Government, though not, I am pleased to say, with his support.

§ Mr. Corrie
If, as the right hon. Gentleman says, no agreement has been reached, can he tell us what are the main areas of difference between Great Britain and the other eight members? Does he agree that the other eight have been in agreement?

§ Mr. Millan
The hon. Gentleman knows that the difficulties arise over the allocation of the quotas, but particularly over the question of coastal preference and access to the waters within 50 miles of the United Kingdom coastline.

§ Mr. Younger
Will the right hon. Gentleman take it from me that he will have the warmest support from the Opposition if he sticks out for an agreement that is acceptable to our fishermen? Will he make sure that it includes provision for adequate monitoring, which will carry the confidence of our fishermen?

§ Mr. Millan
I am grateful for what the hon. Gentleman said. Of course, any agreement will need to have adequate 462 provision for monitoring or it will not be worth having.