Fisheries Council

Stephen Gilbert Excerpts
Monday 19th December 2011

(12 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)
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May I suggest speedier answers and quick questions? Then, we will get everybody in.

Stephen Gilbert Portrait Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay) (LD)
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on resisting the more extreme ideas that came from the summit over the weekend. Does he accept, though, that one of the dangers is that as a result of the cuts in the number of days at sea, fishermen may not be able to catch their full quota? Will he undertake to keep the position under review and, if that proves to be the case, go back to Brussels in a year and argue for changes?

Lord Benyon Portrait Richard Benyon
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One of the most ridiculous outcomes of the penalty that was due to be imposed on British fishermen was that they would not have had enough days at sea to catch the quota they were allocated. We managed to stop that. We will constantly keep that under review and we are working hard to make sure that the problems that the fishing industry faces through the reductions in days will not continue in future years.