Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08540, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on the end-year fisheries negotiations.15:39

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead) SNP

We meet after what has been another eventful year for our important fishing industry.We started this year by breathing a sigh of relief after the negotiation...

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

Will the cabinet secretary update the Parliament on the status of the European Union-Norway talks?

Richard Lochhead SNP

Yes. I will come on to that very important point on the shared stocks between the EU and Norway if the member will just hold on.I mentioned that the first ro...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I welcome today’s debate in advance of the end-of-year fishing negotiations. It gives us the opportunity to speak in the interests of Scottish fishing and to...

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I enjoy the annual opportunity to participate in this debate, with its traditional role of sending the minister off to the European fisheries negotiation wit...

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

The EU fisheries talks next week may not agree much. The continuing failure of international discussions involving the EU, Norway, the Faroes and Iceland wil...

Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP) SNP

One thing that can definitely be agreed by all interested parties is that there is a general consensus that cod stocks are recovering in the North Sea. That ...

Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

There are wide areas of agreement on many aspects of the negotiations and it is right that the members who lodged the motion and amendments have highlighted ...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

PG Wodehouse used to have Bertie Wooster insist that Jeeves had some fish when a particularly knotty problem had to be dealt with, so I naturally had fish fo...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I declare an interest, in that I have worked for the past 20 years in the Scottish fishing industry in Aberdeen, in North East Scotland, the region that I ha...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

As a member for North East Scotland, I am glad to speak in the debate and to support the Labour amendment. The common fisheries policy was set up to address ...

Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) SNP

I am pleased to take part in the debate. The end-year fishing negotiations are vital to many communities that I and many other members represent. The Scottis...

Tavish Scott LD

Alex Johnstone started his contribution by saying that this annual debate is Parliament’s way of sending off the minister with great support. It did not alwa...

Stewart Stevenson SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Tavish Scott LD

I will just finish my point. Monkfish is the most valuable species to the Shetland fleet, being worth approximately £4 million out of the £60 million of fish...

Stewart Stevenson SNP

Like those of Tavish Scott, my constituents are heavily dependent on the fishing industry. I wonder whether, in light of the fact that our minister is one of...

Tavish Scott LD

I do not in any way doubt the cabinet secretary’s involvement or his expertise, as he has taken part for many years. However, my knowledge of the process has...

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con

Presiding Officer, I sometimes think that we ought to recall Parliament on Christmas day to hold this debate, such is the degree of good will that emanates f...

Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

This time last year I stood in the chamber to debate the annual EU fisheries negotiations, and I expressed concerns about the state of our shared European fi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Before I call the cabinet secretary to close the debate, I once again remind members that the debates this afternoon are on a follow-on basis. Members who wi...

Richard Lochhead SNP

Once again, this has been a helpful and useful debate prior to the end-of-year bun fight that takes place in Brussels every December. These annual fisheries ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Eight minutes.

Richard Lochhead SNP

Okay. Eight more minutes or eight minutes altogether?

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Eight minutes in total.

Richard Lochhead SNP

Thank you.The talks between the EU and Norway are therefore crucial; let me now turn to members’ comments on the cod recovery plan. Lewis Macdonald made a ve...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

The cabinet secretary will be well aware that, in going into negotiations, the more priorities that one has, the weaker one’s position. A number of members h...

Richard Lochhead SNP

I am happy to confirm that, as I alluded to in my opening remarks, I will not support any deal that leads to any cut in days at sea for the Scottish fleet. I...