Fishing Industry (Hansard, 2 May 1990)

§ 37. Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received regarding the fishing industry on the west coast of Scotland.
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§ Mr. Lang
The Government issued a consultation document on 28 March which discussed a range of additional conservation measures that might be taken in the waters off the west coast of Scotland. Some replies have been received and others are awaited. In addition, my noble Friend the Minister of State met a delegation on 24 April to discuss these issues.

§ 44. Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the current situation facing the Scottish fishing fleet; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lang
A variety of representations have been received. In addition my right hon. and learned Friend met the Scottish Fishermen's Federation on 7 February and will be doing so again very soon. We are continuing to monitor the situation of the industry very carefully. It remains the case that reductions in landings are being substantially offset by increases in prices. Up to the end of March landings by United Kingdom vessels into Scotland of cod, haddock, whiting and saithe have declined by 28 per cent. compared with the same period in 1989, but the value of these landings in that period has declined by only 3 per cent. in cash terms. The total value of all landings into Scotland in the first three months of this year has declined by only 1 per cent. in cash terms compared with the same period last year.

§ 51. Mr. Buchanan-Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representation he has received on the proposals for the fishing industry for aggregation of capacity and for transferable quotas; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Rifkind
The consultation paper on capacity aggregation, which was issued last November, elicited a wide range of responses from the industry. The Government recently announced their intention to proceed with the capacity aggregation proposals. We will, of course, monitor their operation carefully.
The Government are interested in considering individual transferable quotas, but any proposals it may develop will be the subject of full consultation with the industry.