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FISHERIES BILL DEBATE IN THE COMMONS
1. Further to my tweet from last night. Listened to most of the debate today. The SNP were playing silly buggers. Their Rural Affairs Minister enthusiastically supported the Bill, but they decided to oppose it in the Commons
FISHERIES BILL DEBATE IN THE COMMONS
1. Further to my tweet from last night. Listened to most of the debate today. The SNP were playing silly buggers. Their Rural Affairs Minister enthusiastically supported the Bill, but they decided to oppose it in the Commons
2. Typical showboating by the SNP, just for the sake of it.
Labour on the other hand supported the Bill & I was impressed with Luke Pollard, who put forward sensible & coherent arguments for the amendments from the Lords.
Labour on the other hand supported the Bill & I was impressed with Luke Pollard, who put forward sensible & coherent arguments for the amendments from the Lords.
3. I felt Labour were actually doing what they're meant to do. Adding to the debate, flushing out detail & trying to ensure the Bill creates jobs, rather than just feathering the nests of big fishery concerns.
4. I'm not saying the Tories have set out to screw the smaller enterprises, just that Labour are asking the right questions to ensure fairness across the sector.
5. The min. 65% national landing requirement I mentioned last night is actually an amendment from the Lords. It only applies to foreign fishing vessels that have purchased UK quotas. I got a bit excited there!
6. There seems to be wide support across the House for explicit provision to ban super trawlers from Marine Protected Areas & also an increase in quota for the smaller vessels, under 10 metres.
7. It's a nice little Bill. I'm not sure the amendments will survive, but we're on the right track. As a framework for future provisions, the bare bones are there. It's up to the opposition parties to push for the provisions they want included or just save them until the next GE.
8. Did anyone else follow the debate? What did you think to it?
