HL Deb 18 July 1996 vol 574 c84WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they would need to take to enable the United Kingdom to withdraw from the common fisheries policy, should they decide to do so.

Lord Lucas

The United Kingdom or any other member of the European Union could withdraw from the common fisheries policy, while remaining in the European Union, only if it secured the unanimous agreement of all other member states to the necessary complex range of treaty changes. The Government do not believe that it would serve the best interests of our fishing industry if the United Kingdom sought to go down this route.