§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assurances she has(a) sought and (b) received about the effect of the proposed exclusive competence of the EU over marine resources of the sea in the draft constitution; and what assessment she has made of the effect of EU exclusive competence on (i) UK six and 12 mile limits, (ii) relative stability of catches, (iii) national conservation measures and (iv) regulation of quota hoppers. [140165]
§ Mr. BradshawThe draft EU constitution makes no changes to competence over fisheries (which is shared between the EU and member states) nor over the conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (which has been exclusively within the competence of the Community since 1979). Under these arrangements the UK six and 12 mile limits have been renewed, relative stability maintained, national conservation measures introduced and measures introduced so that coastal communities derive economic benefit from vessels fishing against UK quota.