asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has received from the European Commission about the common fisheries policy; and whether he will make them public so as to enable representative organisations of the fishing industry to comment on them.

The Commission is expected to make proposals about the common fisheries policy very shortly. In the meantime, it has prepared a working document giving the background to the Community's fishery problems, which is being passed to Parliament by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland and I will be making arrangements to ensure that the fishing industry is fully consulted.