HL Deb 04 May 1989 vol 507 cc387-8WA
Lord Moran

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will confirm that the delay in introducing the salmon dealer licensing scheme (H.L. Debates, 20th March, col. 569) does not mean that the proposals are to be weakened by, for example, exempting retail outlets such as fishmongers, hotels and restaurants from the need to be licensed, or relieving licensed dealers from the requirement to keep the full and detailed records necessary for effective enforcement.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Sanderson of Bowden)

The preparation of proposals has taken longer than we had hoped for the reasons given in my previous replies to the noble Lord on 6th December 1988 (Official Report, Vol. 502, No. 7, col. 560) and 20th March 1989 (Official Report, Vol. 505, No. 54, col 569). Technical aspects of drafting have proved more difficult than expected. We have also had to consider the way in which much larger numbers of farmed fish would be affected by the scheme.

When we consulted about the introduction of schemes of salmon dealer licensing under the Salmon Act 1986, our proposals did not include any requirement for licences for hotels and restaurants which purchased salmon from licensed dealers. In the subsequent development of our proposals, revised in the light of many comments made in response to the consultations, the Government's present view is that retailers should be treated in the same way. The regulatory burdens of requiring all retail businesses to be licensed and to keep detailed records would be substantial and do not now seem to be justified in relation to effectiveness. However, under our revised proposals, retailers would need to buy their salmon from licensed dealers if they are not themselves licensed; their premises and trading records would be open to inspection under warrant; and retailers would be liable, as now, to prosecution for the offence of possessing or handling salmon in suspicious circumstances which was made law in the Salmon Act 1986.

The issues at stake are complex and difficult. We now envisage significant changes to the schemes. The importance of getting right the detailed provisions including those on record keeping, enforcement, and relationship between licences in Scotland and those which will be separately administered in England and Wales, require that those with an interest should be given an opportunity to comment before we proceed further. Accordingly, we shall be issuing revised proposals for salmon dealer licensing schemes very shortly, inviting early comments.