Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 15 Mai 1991.
The hon. Gentleman knows that the eight-day tie-up arrangements are subject to conditions set down in a European regulation and are not at the discretion of the Government. To the extent that we have discretion in the matter, the tie-up arrangements are being applied as flexibly as is compatible with the important need to conserve stocks. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman would agree that the most important criterion in the whole exercise is the need to conserve stocks, especially of cod and haddock, so that there will be fish for future generations of fishermen.