Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 09 December 2014
09 Dec 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Fisheries Negotiations
I did not know about that—I will be very pleased to hear about the debate. I hope that, at Westminster, the parties will not do as the three political parties here have done in lodging amendments to remove a very important part of the cabinet secretary’s motion that says that the fisheries minister in Scotland should play a part in the talks, particularly in relation to the Smith commission.
Common sense and flexibility should be the two principles for fishing negotiations; that is what we hear all the time.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-11825, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on the end-of-year fish negotiations. 15:48
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
It does not really feel like a year since we last discussed the annual fisheries negotiations in the chamber. Time flies by when we are really busy, and 2014...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
Can you draw to a close, please?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
In a quintessentially Scottish sector, in which Scotland is predominant in the UK, we see devo max as a no-brainer that makes clear and absolute sense for fi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You really must close, please.
Richard Lochhead
SNP
That is why we will continue to do our utmost to secure the best possible deal for this great and proud industry next week. I move, That the Parliament wel...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We are very tight for time today. 16:02
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
It is almost a year since the new common fisheries policy was introduced, but the forthcoming year is when the force of the changes comes into effect. We are...
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
If the member has sympathy with the cabinet secretary, why does she want to remove the part of the motion that says exactly that—that we regret the cabinet s...
Claire Baker
Lab
My understanding of the Scottish Government’s motion is that it does not refer to the particular incident about who represented us at EU negotiations, when I...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to take part in this important debate on the annual EU fisheries negotiations, which commence on 15 December. The outcome of the negotiations is...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must draw to a close.
Jamie McGrigor
Con
I will finish, then. Bertie Armstrong said that the industry was very much less concerned about who sits in the seats and was more concerned, in every deta...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must close.
Jamie McGrigor
Con
I conclude by wishing the cabinet secretary the best of luck. I move amendment S4M-11825.2, to leave out from second “and supports” to end and insert: “; ...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I am delighted, if a little surprised, to be speaking in this debate. The detonation of a weather bomb and the consequential disruption to flights has meant ...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
Will the member give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
Sorry, but I am running out of time. Perhaps the cabinet secretary can address the issue in his winding-up speech. The final part of the Government motion c...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must draw to a close.
Liam McArthur
LD
In the aftermath of the vote in favour of the UK, the fishing industry made it crystal clear that it expects both Scotland’s Governments to work collectively...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
When I came to Parliament in June 2001, my very first speech was on fisheries. In that speech I harked back to the work of Allan Macartney, a member of the E...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate on an issue of great importance to the Scottish economy, our fishermen and our coastal communities. Acro...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
The SNP Government fights hard in Brussels for the whole Scottish fish sector, including fish processors and producers, and it will do so next week. At this...
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
For anyone who is hearing me speak for the first time, let me declare that this French-born MSP has worked in the Scottish fishing industry for the past 30 y...
Claire Baker
Lab
The member might be interested to note that Westminster is debating fisheries negotiations on Thursday this week.
Christian Allard
SNP
I did not know about that—I will be very pleased to hear about the debate. I hope that, at Westminster, the parties will not do as the three political partie...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
The member must draw to a close, please.
Christian Allard
SNP
I call on the cabinet secretary to address the problem of the closure of skate and ray fisheries in the north-east and west of Scotland. We must make sure th...
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate and for the range of briefings, which I have found very informative, that I received from various or...
Christian Allard
SNP
I would not call Lord Smith a nationalist, but his commission has stated that the concordat on co-ordination of European Union policy issues needs to be impr...