§ 22. Mr. Cleggasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the recent announcement of the Icelandic Government of their unilateral extension of their fishing limits to 200 miles, indicating the effects this will have on the British trawler fleet; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. BishopThe Government regret the Icelandic announcement, but the Icelandic Government have undertaken to hold talks with interested States, including ourselves, which I hope will begin soon. There will be no immediate effect on the United Kingdom fishing fleet since our interim agreement with Iceland operates until 13th November, and until negotiations have taken place it would be premature to speculate on the longer-term effect of the Icelandic action.