§ Mrs. Iris Robinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will (a) seek to initiate a review of fisheries science by the 135W EU and (b) commence an independent study into the Icelandic and Faeroese models of maintaining fish stocks and the fishing industry. [131787]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:I see no need to initiate an EU review of fisheries science, given the advisory role that the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries is already required to play in relation to EU fisheries management measures. I expect that the forthcoming independent report from the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit on its UK Fisheries Project will review among other things the fisheries management systems applied by other countries.
§ Mrs. Iris Robinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fishing vessels registered to other countries than the UK fished in each of the statistical fishing regions which fall within the UK's national waters in each of the last five years. [131786]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information held by Fisheries Departments in the UK relates only to the activity of foreign vessels when a landing has been made into the UK. It would be necessary to invite the various member states involved to supply the data.