HC Deb 03 June 1980 vol 985 cc680-1W
Mr. McQuarrie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further representations he has received from the fishing industry in Scotland on its critical position due mainly to the large amount of imported fish; and what steps can be taken as a matter of urgency to save the industry from extinction.

Mr. Younger

I continue to receive numerous representations from the fishing industry, both from its main organisations and from individual fishermen, about the current economic situation of the industry. My noble Friend the Minister of State and I have both undertaken visits to the North-East of Scotland within the last few days to learn about the situation at first hand and to explain the Government's position. In this connection I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him of today's date.

Mr. McQuarrie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the outcome of his talks with the fishing industry at Peterhead on 30 May.

Mr. Younger

I met representatives of the fishing industry at Peterhead on 30 May and also a group of working skippers on the following day, during a visit to the North-East of Scotland to inform myself on the current economic situation of the industry. The main burden of the concern expressed to me was that the prices being realised by fishermen on the market were inadequate to enable boats to operate profitably in the context of escalating costs, particularly of fuel, and heavy repayments on vessels at high interest rates. It was represented to me that, in the light of these difficulties and the impact of increasing imports of fish, the future of a large sector of the industry was in jeopardy.

I reminded the industry that the £3 million package of aid which the Government made available as recently as March is still being paid out and that its full impact has, therefore, not yet been felt. I referred also to the decision recently taken by the European Community Commission following strong representations by the United Kingdom Government to increase the reference prices for imports of frozen fish from third countries and gave an assurance that the Government were also pressing for an increase in tariff levels on a range of fish imports. Finally, I repeated the undertaking that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I had given to meet the fishermen's representatives in July in order to look again at the state of the industry.