Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Official Report 733KB pdf

United Kingdom Statutory Instruments

The next item is consideration of letters from the Scottish Government concerning two UK statutory instruments: the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2018 and the Sea Fishing (Enforcement) Regulations 2018. The Scottish Government has written advising the committee that it has given its permission to allow the UK Government to make these instruments on its behalf.

Does anyone have any comments?

I am content to note both of these items of correspondence. However, I make the point that the sea fishing enforcement regulations are, in essence, about allowing continuity so that officers from south of the border can come into Scottish waters in hot pursuit of people. I support that, but I see no corresponding measures for Scottish officers to go south—I do not know whether any would be necessary.

On page 6 in our papers, I read:

“The provisions within these Regulations will close a potential enforcement gap in the management of the UK inshore fisheries sector and could also indirectly provide an aid to preventing the circumvention of Scottish regulations.”

I suggest that we write to the minister and ask what that means.

That is a fair point. Do members agree to note the correspondence and ask the clerks to correspond with Scottish Government officials to ascertain the position on the point that Stewart Stevenson raises?

Members indicated agreement.