HC Deb 12 March 1996 vol 273 c576W
Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the pattern of voting in the Council of Ministers required to amend common fisheries policy regulations on quota hopping. [19999]

Mr. Baldry

The regulations implementing the common fisheries policy are based on article 43 of the EC treaty under which decisions are taken by qualified majority voting.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Her Majesty's Government's objectives for the reform of the common fisheries policy are for 1997; and if he will meet hon. Members from fisheries constituencies before the IGC to discuss those objectives. [19998]

Mr. Baldry

I am always happy to meet hon. Members from fishing constituencies from wherever in the United Kingdom to discuss fisheries issues and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is similarly happy to meet hon. Members from Scottish fishing constituencies.

The Government will continue to pursue initiatives to achieve improvements in the way that the common fisheries policy operates. These include working with the industry to improve conservation measures and seeking to ensure that the fishing opportunities arising from national quotas provide real benefits to the fishing communities of the flag member state.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of the Scottish Fisherman's Federation and the National Federation of Fisherman's Organisations to discuss(a) the common fisheries policy and (b) its place in the IGC discussions in March. [19996]

Mr. Baldry

During the Council of Fisheries Ministers of 21 to 22 December 1995, my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and I met both the Scottish Fishermen's Federation and the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations to discuss those aspects of the common fisheries policy on the agenda of the Council. We shall next be meeting the two organisations together on 14 March.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what legal advice has been sought by his Department on making amendments to the European treaties in connection with quota hopping at the IGC. [19997]

Mr. Baldry

Any necessary legal advice will be obtained for any amendments to the European treaties put forward by the Government. It is not customary, however, to disclose such advice.