 | 'Labour and Lib Dems are no friends of our fishing communities. They tried to ignore the clamour by the people of Scotland to regain control of our seas through the Scottish Parliament, rather than leave the fate of our fishermen in the hands of Brussels and the UK Government.' Richard Lochhead MSP, 28 th March 2006. |  |
SNP Fishing Spokesperson Richard Lochhead today welcomed the decision by the Scottish Parliament's European Committee to approve a proposal by the SNP MSP to invite a UK Minister to give evidence on withdrawing from the Common Fisheries Policy.
The vote, which was passed on the convener's casting vote, followed the latest discussion on the petition submitted to the Parliament's Petition Committee by the Cod Crusaders which was signed by over 250,000 Scots.
Mr Lochhead successfully made the proposal to the committee that a UK Minister and the Cod Crusaders be invited to appear before them after a discussion on a legal opinion provided by the Scottish Parliament's legal service on Scottish withdrawal from the CFP. Labour and Lib Dem members voted against the proposal.
Speaking following the committee, Mr Lochhead said:
"The committee's decision is a great victory for our fishing communities and the Cod Crusaders, as well as the 250,000 Scots who signed their petition. Labour and the Lib Dems tried and failed to kill the petition stone dead and dash the hopes of the many Scots who are banking on the Scottish Parliament to support their cause to return control of our seas to Scotland and save our fishing industry.
"Labour and Lib Dems are no friends of our fishing communities. They tried to ignore the clamour by the people of Scotland to regain control of our seas through the Scottish Parliament, rather than leave the fate of our fishermen in the hands of Brussels and the UK Government."
NOTE FOR EDITORS:
The MSPs who voted for the proposal by the SNP were Richard Lochhead, Linda Fabiani (Convener), Phil Gallie, Dennis Canavan.
Irene Oldfather, John Hume Robertson, Charlie Gordon and Jim Wallace voted against the proposal.
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