HC Deb 20 November 1978 vol 958 cc449-50W
Mr. Arnold

asked the Attorney-General if he will indicate for the most recent period for which figures are available the maximum and minimum delay experienced in the hearing of applications for judicial review after leave has been granted by the Queen's Bench Division to apply for such review in accordance with order 53 of the Rules of the Supreme Court (S.I., 1977, No. 1955); and how these days compare with those expe-

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Tonnes Tonnes Tonnes Tonnes Tonnes
'000s £ '000s '000s £ '000s '000s £ '000s '000s £ '000s '000s £ '000s
Total landings 23.1 1,160 31.1 1,486 48.6 2,310 87.3 5,262 186.9 14,673
of which—
for human consumption 10.9 548 15.1 699 20.4 1,159 38.8 2,959 119.8 10,123
exports 7.2 780 13.1 1,426 14.8 1,665 25.5 3,298 53.3 7,823
Human consumption as percentage of landings 47.2 48.6 42.0 44.4 64.1

Mr. Hicks

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what is the figure representing the quantity of mackerel that his Department's scientific fishery officers believe can be caught in any one season without prejudicing future stocks of mackerel; when this figure was last revised; what was the previous estimate; and what is the quantity of mackerel that he expects will be caught during the current mackerel season based on his department's catch quotas and regulations.

Mr. Bishop

In these matters the Government are guided by the recommendations of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea—ICES—in whose work scientists of the United Kingdom Fisheries Departments play a leading part. In May 1978 ICES recommended that the total allowable catch—FAC—from the Western mackerel fishery should be 450,000 tonnes in 1978—compared with an earlier recommendation rienced under the former order 53 (R.S.C. 1965).

The Solicitor-General

I regret that the information is not available, since all motions for hearing before the Divisional Court are included in the same list.