Clarity call over Tory fisheries policy

The SNP have called for clarity from UK Fisheries Secretary, Liz Truss, over implementation of the EU fish discard ban after her Tory colleague, Ian Duncan MEP, repeatedly contradicted the UK Government’s position on fish landing and discard rules.

New regulations require Member States to facilitate the disposal of undersized or unmarketable fish and Marine Scotland is working with the offshore and onshore sectors to do this.

SNP MEP Ian Hudghton said:

“Ian Duncan is guilty of the most shameless opportunism given that his own Tory colleagues, in the UK Government, have implemented these rules in exactly the same way that the Scottish Government is.

“The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is the route through which measures to support the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, including any measures to dispose of unwanted fish, are meant to be funded. The Scottish Government is working with industry to maximise the benefits of this funding for Scotland.

“When challenged last year to explain why his Conservative colleagues in the UK Government did not secure a fairer allocation of European fisheries funds to help implement the discards bans, Ian Duncan said Scotland didn’t need the funds yet now he’s saying these measures need to be funded.

“To add insult to injury, Ian Duncan’s UK Government colleagues are adopting the same policy in England to deal with the landing obligation and onshore implementation, and most embarrassingly for Mr Duncan, they actually agree with the Scottish Government's interpretation of the EU regulations.

“The truth is that the Scottish Government is already working to support the industry identify and develop options for disposing of any unmarketable or undersized fish landed as well as minimise such catch in the first place.”

Whiteford & Hudghton in Visit to New Deer Bakery

SNP President and Member of the European Parliament Ian Hudghton has joined Banff & Buchan SNP candidate Eilidh Whiteford campaigning in Central Buchan.

Whilst in New Deer, the pair stopped off at the Kindness Bakery on Main Street to meet with owner Mark Kindness and staff and toured the production line.

Commenting, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“Kindness Bakery is a significant local employer and it was a pleasure to meet up with Mark and to hear of some of the issues facing local businesses at this time.

“Rural small businesses are the lifeblood of their local communities and I was pleased to hear of the firm’s plans and recent successes with new clients.”

SNP President Ian Hudghton added:

“I was very impressed with the bakery operation at New Deer and also the range of products which is produced there. It’s clear that Mark and the staff there have a passion for this long-established business and I wish them continued success.”

SNP Provide the Strongest Voice for Fishing

EURO PRIORITIES FOR FISHING PUBLISHED
The SNP has today published its fishing priorities for Europe with a call to make sure that Westminster Governments can never again treat Scotland’s fishing communities as ‘expendable’.

The SNP has pledged to fight for maximum decision making on fisheries to be made in Scotland, for the EU to fully support the kind of innovations that the Scottish fleet has pioneered and to stand up for the needs of the fishing industry in Europe.

The fishing industry is far more significant to Scotland than it is to the UK with Scotland accounting for 87% of the UK’s landing of key stocks by value. Yet despite this, Scotland receives just 40% of the UK’s European Fisheries Fund allocation.

That money represents just 1.1% of the EU-wide total fisheries funding, despite the Scottish fishing industry landing 7% of the EU’s wild caught fish and being responsible for 12% of EU aquaculture production.

Commenting, SNP MEP Ian Hudghton said:

“When it comes to standing up for our fishing communities, the SNP provide the strongest voice.

“The SNP has made strong progress in Europe in recent years when it comes to fisheries, but there is more which we want to see happen – which is why we are publishing our priorities for fishing today.

“Scotland’s fishing industry needs a strong voice in Europe, a voice that will never turn its back on our fishing industry and describe the sector as ‘expendable’ as previous Westminster Governments so shamefully did.

“Today Westminster Governments are still letting down Scotland’s fishing communities, with Scotland receiving less than half of the UK’s European Fisheries Fund allocation despite 87% of UK landings by value coming ashore in Scotland.

“That funding imbalance and the complete lack of concern for our fishing industry at Westminster is the clearest example possible of why we need strong voices standing up for Scotland’s fishing sector.

“Only a vote for a strong team of SNP MEPs on the 22nd of May and a Yes vote in September will ensure the needs of Scotland’s fishing industry are always heard and let Scotland make our mark in Europe.”

North East Scotland best represented by SNP MEPs

The SNP has today made clear that a vote for the party on 22nd of May will secure the best deal for Scotland’s fishing industry and improved living standards for ordinary Scots.

SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond was joined on the campaign trail in Fraserburgh today by MEP Ian Hudghton and SNP candidate Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh to highlight the SNP’s record of standing up for the North East’s interests in Europe and reiterate the commitment towards securing a living wage requirement as part of public sector contracts.

The last term of the European Parliament has seen critical reforms made to the Common Fisheries Policy that deeply affect Scotland’s fishing communities. The SNP in Government and in Brussels has been instrumental in securing the best deal possible for Scotland’s fishing industry – including winning key concessions on moving towards a more regionalised system of fisheries management and the pioneering of new fisheries management techniques such as real time closures.

The SNP is also seeking to make Scotland’s mark in Europe by campaigning for the right to require the living wage as part of public sector contracts – something that is currently prevented under EU rules. The SNP has a strong record on the living wage, introducing it wherever it has the powers to do so.

Commenting SNP Leader and First Minister Alex Salmond MSP said:

“People in the North East know better than anyone just how much these European elections matter to people in Scotland.

“For our fishing industry in particular and the communities it helps to support, the direction being taken in Europe is absolutely critical.

“The SNP has always stood up for Scotland’s fishing industry in Europe – unlike previous Westminster Governments who shamefully described the sector as ‘expendable’ when it came to their negotiations with Europe.

“We know just how important the fishing sector is to the economy of not just the North East, but the whole of Scotland and the SNP will always fight to defend our fishermen.”

SNP President Ian Hudghton MEP added:

“The last few years in Europe have been absolutely critical for the future of our fishing industry - something I have seen first hand in the European Parliament’s fisheries committee while fighting Scotland’s corner.

“There have been significant victories for Scotland, but there are still important decisions to be made – which is why we must have a strong team of SNP MEPs representing Scotland.”

SNP candidate Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh added:

“Only the SNP has a track record of always standing up for the people of Scotland and our industries.

“If elected on 22nd May I will fight hard to secure the living wage as part of public sector contracts - ensuring that much more of the wealth generated in this country is used to create a fair and equal society.”

Youth Guarantee Shows Westminster 'Actively Damaging' Job Prospects

Westminster’s decision to stand in the way of Scotland accessing EU funding to help tackle youth unemployment has been branded one of the clearest examples of Westminster’s anti-Europe agenda “actively damaging” the job prospects of people in Scotland.

The European Youth Guarantee provides young people under 25 an apprenticeship, training place, job or the chance to continue in education within four months of leaving education or becoming unemployed. However, the UK Government does not support the scheme, meaning that young people lose out on the EU support available to them.

Opportunities for All

In Scotland the Opportunities for All scheme already guarantees an offer of work, training or education for young people in a similar way to the EU’s Youth Guarantee – but the Westminster Government’s stance means that Scotland is unable to benefit from this EU funding.

Commenting, SNP MEP Ian Hudghton said:

“Creating jobs and tackling youth unemployment is one of the SNP’s top priorities and we have made great strides in addressing this – with our Opportunities for All scheme guaranteeing a place in work, training or education for all 16 to 19 year olds.

“As positive as this progress is, we will always work to secure more jobs and training opportunities for Scotland’s young people.

“The European Youth Guarantee would give Scotland the chance to access funding to build on the Opportunities for All scheme the SNP has already delivered – but Westminster prevents Scotland from accessing this.

“It is one of the clearest examples possible of Westminster’s anti-Europe agenda actively damaging the job prospects of people in Scotland.

“While the SNP are pulling out all the stops to tackle youth unemployment, Westminster is happy to stand by when more could be done to create opportunities for young people.

“With a vote for the SNP on the 22nd of May and a Yes vote in September, we can make Scotland’s mark in Europe and ensure that the needs of young people in Scotland are never sacrificed to Westminster’s petty agenda.”

European Parliament Takes the Biscuit

HUDGHTON VISITS BUCKIE BAKERS

SNP Member of the European Parliament Ian Hudghton will take time out from his surgery tour of Banffshire on Thursday 8 November at 9.00am when he visits local bakers The Home Bakery, Well Road, Buckie.

Mr Hudghton is arranging for products from The Home Bakery to be the ‘official’ baker of the European Parliament’s EFA Group St Andrew’s Day celebrations and will ‘seal the deal’ whilst in Buckie on Thursday.

The SNP MEP will be accompanied by Buckie councillor Gordon McDonald, who suggested The Home Bakery for the accolade and will be met by Director, Mr Jim Johnston.

Mr Hudghton commented:

“I am delighted to be able to assist the company in promoting their excellent products in this way.

“I firmly believe in giving local firms the opportunity to get their products into places where it may not always be possible to do so and I will be extremely proud to point out to guests and dignitaries in the European Parliament that the bakery goods come from my constituency.” 

EURO-MP Embarks on North-East Surgery Tour

SNP Euro-MP Ian Hudghton will be embarking on his annual surgery tour of North-east towns and villages next week.  Mr Hudghton will be visiting local communities in his Mobile Office on Thursday 8 November to allow constituents who may wish to raise any European-related issues direct access to him.

Mr Hudghton’s surgery tour is now an established fixture and in previous years many people have taken up the opportunity to quiz their Euro-MP on various topics or raise issues of concern.

Previewing the tour, Ian Hudghton commented:

"Last year's tour was a great success, and I'm delighted to be able to expand it to increase the number of towns covered this year.

“Having represented only the North-east previously, it is now quite a challenge under this current electoral system where I share responsibility for the whole of Scotland, which is now one electoral “region”.  However, I am determined that this should not mean that Euro-MPs become more remote from the public and this surgery tour is an excellent way of giving people direct access to me in their own community.”

Mr Hudghton will be available to constituents in his Mobile Office in the following locations and no appointment is necessary:

Thursday, 8th November
9.30am		BUCKIE, Railway Terrace car park
10.05am		CULLEN, The Square
10.30am		PORTSOY, Church Street
11.00am		BANFF, St Mary's car park
12.00pm		FRASERBURGH, Hanover Street car park
2.15pm		PETERHEAD, Lido car park