§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the implications for United Kingdom law of the Jaderow case ruling delivered by the European Court of Justice on 13 December.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe judgment in the Jaderow case was given in answer to a request for a preliminary ruling of the Court of Justice under article 177 of the treaty. It is now for the referring court, the High Court of Justice, to decide on the lawfulness of the fish licensing conditions at issue in that case in the light of the ruling of the Court of Justice. The case will be reinstated before the High Court in due course and argument will be heard on the impact of the preliminary ruling. To the end, the judgement is being considered carefully by Her Majesty's Government. Until the High Court delivers its judgment, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.