Chamber and committees

The Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for cod stocks in the North Sea and west of Scotland imply a reduction in fishing mortality of 65%. In negotiation, it was agreed that a proportion of this should be underpinned by permanent reductions in fishing effort (decommissioning), and a proportion by temporary reductions in fishing effort (days at sea restrictions). In management terms, it is such fishing effort that is the best proxy for fishing mortality, the latter being the product of the former.On average, the 15 days per month limits imply a reduction in UK fishing effort on cod of 25%; the 2001-02 decommissioning schemes imply a reduction in UK fishing effort on cod of around 10%, and other measures (such as Scottish mesh size changes) might also reasonably be expected to deliver some reduction in fishing mortality.We negotiated on the basis of such assumptions and concluded that further decommissioning schemes in the UK should aim to remove an additional 15 to 20% of UK fishing effort on cod to ensure reasonable consistency with the 65% reduction in fishing mortality implied by the agreed TACs.

No.

We understand relative stability to be a rule concerning access to resources within the meaning of Article 19 of EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002. Specifically, relative stability underpins the rules concerning allocation of fishing opportunities, in as much as those opportunities shall be distributed in such a way as to assure each member state relative stability of fishing activities for each stock or fishery (Article 20 of EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002).

A reallocation of fishing opportunities between member states allowed for by the provisions of Article 23 Paragraph 4 of EU Council Regulation (EC) 2371/2002 can only be decided once the Commission has considered the likely impact of the reallocation on the interests of the member states involved and on the conservation of resources. Further, any decision must be taken by the Commission in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 4 and Article 7 of Decision (EC) 468/1999. This makes it unlikely that such an eventuality could occur except in the most exceptional of circumstances.

The figures requested are as follows.

1999-2000 (£)
Campaign	Press	Radio	TV	Production	Ambient	Cinema	Web
Electoral Registration	25,036			750
Children's Hearings	32,768	52,840		29,156
Fire Prevention			136,312	254,588
Tobacco Campaign				10,404
NHS Fraud				100,000
European Elections	30,218			1,811
Food Safety	109,676			9,008
Road Safety		58,772	425,365	177,700	120,750	83,447
Scotland's Parliament	388,142	19,858	109,716	15,435
Childcare Helpline	31,921	31,921
Environment				4,676
Teacher Recruitment	45,179	36,244		14,999
Domestic Abuse	105,293	33,279	301,978	62,074			6,169

2000-01 (£)
Campaign	Press	Radio	TV	Production	Ambient	Cinema	Web
Alcohol Abuse	220,900		198,371
Fire Prevention	144,060
Food Safety	25,658			6,822
Lead in Water	61,752			15,225
NHS Helpline	137,528
Road Safety		84,307	951,170	7130	55,059	152,895	7,561
Safer Scotland	140,120
Fostering	32,443
Flu/Winter Campaign	195,848		428,760	352,387
Drug Enforcement Agency	47,606				7,129
Environment				462,326
Domestic Abuse			294,558	134,339	7,748	70,819
Children's Hearings	67,592	37,813		17,588
Child Care	119,917			12,102		511
Organ Retention	53,596			2,100
Organ Donor Filler				48,465
Travel Awareness			175,000	100,000			25,000
NHS Fraud	121,942
NHS Public Appointments				21,838

2001-02 (£)
Campaign	Press	Radio	TV	Production	Ambient	Cinema	Web
Children's Hearings	166,723		33,032	40,476	1,826
Drugs	48,203	39,646	809,116	659,127	236,124	42,420	30,738
Flu	138,494		389,074	63,950	38,525
NHS Helpline	110,495			1,967
NHS Fraud	29,920
Prevention of Suicide		23,500		25,366			5,141
Alcohol Abuse	229,145			260,712
Teacher Recruitment	72,911		238,054
Fire Prevention	175,763	39,008	82,694	3,120
Domestic Abuse	94,369		287,039	57,392	109,708	60,103	23,500
Child Protection on the Internet	74,466	59,735			10,273	41,829
Road Safety		125,167	769,105	189,691	244,144	201,748	2,332
Travel Awareness		29,174	132,188	243,553	155,648
Environment	78,602		490,858	9,542	87,020		89,295
Litter					118,934
Teaching in Scotland							35,806
Healthy Eating				49,083
Digital Access				25,675
Funding for Learners				9,488			14,488
Electoral Registration				4,838
National Care Standards				7,340
Performance Management Guide - Intranet				8,706
Scotland Online21st Century Govt.				15,667

2002-date (£)
Campaign	Press	Radio	TV	Production	Ambient	Cinema	Web
Digital Access	117,356	8,703		23,907			45,041
Alcohol Abuse		77,878	341,806	109,102	113,903	33,691
Children's Hearings	195,014	242,256		48,325	2,347
Concessionary Fares	133,642		107,448	21,206	117,675
Crime Braker	20,273
Domestic Abuse	128,622		365,380	89,940			2,526
Drugs Campaign	127,106	38,205	692,975	45,957	64,342	26,492	31,338
Environment	24,809		244,093	261,485			52,877
Fire Prevention	98,861	36,317	84,001	2,348
Flu Campaign	126,711		341,359	339,136	62,480
Free Personal Care	243,940			8,785
Funding for Learners	68,586	31,632
Glasgow Housing Association	14,936				16,514
M74 Completion Project	5,936	2,458		10,398			21,914
National Debate	99,127	92,031		58,634	37,560		3,613
NHS Helpline	120,813			4,063
Organ Retention	80,671			4,471
Organ Donation				940
Prevention of Suicide	34,125	34,564		633	22,916
Racism		40,788	351,199	601,713	203,214	24,793	38,775
Road Safety	15,784	125,727	785,349	217,354	100,891	51,629
Travel Awareness		59,181	331,278	72,437	91,943		9,751
UEFA				4,943	2,087
Teaching				9,888			273
Healthy Eating			217,402	268,079			2,820
Social Care	221,529		111,235	168,794			34,762
Scottish International Forum							37,083
Tartan Day				37,554			15,275
Regional Selective Assistance				17,625			15,980
Child Protection on the Internet		62,519			386	39,736
Safer Scotland	65,342	57,171		42,547

I attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 27 January 2003, but not on 28 January, when I had to be in Scotland and London on fisheries business. Up to four Scottish Executive officials were in support, covering both days of the Council.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33475 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The rules concerning access to waters and resources are those rules described in Chapter IV (Rules on access to Water and Resources) of EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002.These are subject to a fuller interpretation by reference to multiple decisions of the European Court of Justice and to the multifarious provisions of superior legislation, including but not restricted to Treaties of the European Union.

Yes.

Article 23(4) allows for a deduction from future fishing opportunities equivalent to the sum total of prior over-fishing, measured in tonnage. In most cases, it is to be expected that the full tonnage to be deducted will be deducted from opportunities allocated in the first calendar year following establishment of an occurrence of over-fishing.