Mr President, there is a strange anomaly here. We are being told there is a great rush to get this adopted and that we cannot wait. And yet the decision by the Commission will not be taken until next June. I should like to know exactly what is going on here. Will the Commissioner assure us that the time taken between now and next year will be used to consult the fishermen who are affected. My concern is not just with saving fish but also with saving the livelihoods of fishermen.

Scotland does not have a vested interest in this particular matter as the French, Spanish and Irish do. So I can speak with a certain amount of detachment but as representing probably the largest fishing area in the community, North-East Scotland. The fishermen are always afraid that someone in Brussels is at it, that they are going to be victimized. They do not feel they are part of the process. So, I should like to ask that the time available will be used by the Commission to consult the fishermen and to talk about conservation and compensation. These are the two issues which are uppermost in the fishermen's minds.

Conservation clearly requires more scientific evidence and compensation simply requires more money. They want to hear the Commission's views on that subject.