§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 16 December 1998,Official Report, column 962, what steps he plans to take to reduce the discarding of edible fish under the quota system. [66114]
§ The Prime MinisterGovernment policies which will reduce discarding of edible fish include reducing fishing effort, improving the selectivity of fishing gear and introducing fixed quota allocations.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 16 December 1998,Official Report, column 962, what steps he plans to take with other European countries to reform the Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement. [66113]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government will continue to work with other Member States and the European Commission to achieve more effective and consistent enforcement of fisheries rules across the Community; integrate environmental considerations more fully into the Common Fisheries Policy to make it a more effective instrument for conserving fish stocks and the wider marine environment; apply structural and conservation measures in a way that achieves a sustainable future for the fishing industry; and improve the regional dimension of the CFP so that it is more sensitive to local differences.