asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied with the progress achieved in the last month towards agreement on the revision of the common fisheries policy and on the admission of non-EEC fishing vessels within the 200-mile limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with progress in negotiating the common fisheries policy.

There is still a long way to go in reform of the common fisheries policy, though the recent agreement on conservation measures, which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture explained to the House on 10th February, represents a most welcome pragmatic step in the right direction. On the external side, fisheries negotiations have opened with the Soviet Union and Poland, and the Community's fisheries agreement with the United States has been signed.