§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions, and for what reasons, the Crown has sought postponements in proceedings in the Appeal Court relating to the monofilament net ban.
Lord James Douglas-HamilitonThe case has not yet been called in the Appeal Court, having been twice withdrawn, by common consent, from the roll of cases. The reason for the delay is the need to obtain official English translations of two analogous European cases, which recently came before the European Court of Justice. These are considered to be essential to a proper consideration of the instant case by the Appeal Court. The case will be re-enrolled as soon as possible.