§ Q 1 Mr. WilkinsonTo ask the Prime Minister when he next intends to visit the Ruislip-Northwood parliamentary constituency. [16868]
§ The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Michael Heseltine)I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.
§ Mr. WilkinsonBefore my right hon. Friend fixes a date, can he reassure my constituents in Ruislip-Northwood about the grave consequences of the European Court of Justice's retroactive decision today to 146 demand compensation of the British taxpayer for the loss of Spanish fishermen's rights? Will my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister endorse the comments of the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry), that the quota hoppers must go? Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government will raise the common fisheries policy at the forthcoming intergovernmental conference?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterI am grateful to my hon. Friend and to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris), who have taken the matter extremely seriously. We obviously regret the European Court's decision and we shall certainly take it up in the context of the intergovernmental conference. We believe that there have to be changes.