HC Deb 17 March 1998 vol 308 cc539-40W
Mr. Townend

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which was the ruling by the European Court of Justice that overruled the Court's earlier judgment in the Jaderow Case C-246/89 recognising that the fishing quota system, as a system of national quota, was a derogation from the principle of non-discrimination laid down in Article 40(3) of the Treaty. [34569]

Mr. Morley

The Jaderow judgment did not say that the system of national quotas was a derogation from the principle of non-discrimination.

Mr. Townend

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) of 5 March 1998,Official Report, column 728, whether, if Portugal, Spain, Finland and Sweden do not obtain new derogations for the period after 2002, the principle of equal access will then apply to their fishing grounds. [34570]

Mr. Morley

Unless the Council decides otherwise, access to fishing grounds after 2002 will continue to be limited by the principle of relative stability and the national quota system. There will also continue to be restrictions on access within 6 and 12 mile limits if the Council decides to renew the present derogation, as I expect it will.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will meet(a) the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and (b) the Scottish Fishermen's Federation before the next Council of Ministers meetings. [34862]

Mr. Morley

Yes.