News

Time to rebalance fish quotas, says Harris

Wed, 8 Aug 2012 14:47:15 +0100

Shadow Fisheries Minister Tom Harris has welcomed a campaign by representatives of the smaller fishing industry to win a fairer share of UK fishing quotas.

Speaking on the day that Greenpeace and NUTFA (the New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association) launched their Manifesto For Fair Fisheries, Tom called on the government to take the lead in supporting small fishing communities. He said the case had now been made for a “radical overhaul” of the way fishing quotas are allocated within the UK.

Smaller “inland” fishing vessels make up three quarters of the UK’s fishing fleet and employ nearly two thirds of all full-time workers. But they are restricted from catching more than four per cent of the UK fishing quota, with 96 per cent being allocated to the larger industrial fleet.

Tom added: “Labour wants reform that tackles vested interests and rewards those who fish more sustainably and selectively, with less impact on the environment. It is unacceptable that fleets representing the smaller, sustainable end of the industry, and which employ nearly two thirds of full-time workers, should have to survive on just four per cent of the UK fishing quota.

“The Government should be taking a lead in supporting our small fishing communities that are the lifeblood of many coastal areas.

“The case has now been made for a radical overhaul of the way fishing quotas are allocated within the UK. The Government needs to issue a definitive list of who exactly owns the rights to UK quota, and begin urgent talks on significantly increasing the percentage quota allocated to the Under Ten fleet.”

Miliband appoints Harris to the front bench

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:36:47 +0100

Glasgow South MP Tom Harris has been appointed to Labour’s front bench in the Commons after a three-and-a-half year absence.

Ed Miliband made the appointment today in a mini reshuffle prompted by the resignation of Welsh Secretary Peter Hain. Tom replaces East Lothian MP Fiona O’Donnell as a Shadow Minister for DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Tom said: “It’s a huge honour to have been asked by Ed to serve on the front bench. I can’t wait to get started in the great team led by Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh.”

Response to the referendum consultation

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:37:22 +0100

As the Scottish Government’s propaganda exercise consultation on its separation referendum ends, Tom publishes his own response.

Click to open file (Adobe Acrobat required).

‘Britain needs Scottish water’

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:50:22 +0100

Scotland’s water wealth should be shared with the rest of the country, Tom Harris has told the House of Commons.

During questions to the Leader of the House, Sir George Young, today, the Glasgow South MP pointed out that despite recent dismal weather, many parts of England face drought conditions, whereas Scotland has plenty to spare.

“Would the Leader of the House find some value in a debate on the floor of the House to consider the practicalities and costs of a national water distribution network so that Scotland can share our water wealth with our more parched southern compatriots?”

Sir George said the government would consider various solutions to the water shortage after the start of the new parliament in May, but gave no commitment to exploring Tom’s suggestion.

Afterwards, Tom said: “It is absurd that in while Scotland has virtually unlimited access to quality fresh water, so many people in England still have to endure hose-pipe bans ona regular basis. Surely in the 21st century it’s not beyond us to come up with an engineering solution so that the UK’s water wealth can be more evenly distributed?

“This is not a problem that’s likely to go away any time soon, and perhaps this is one problem that demands some radical thinking.”

Dennis Waterman comments were ‘disgraceful’, Harris tells the Commons

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:23:39 +0000

Comments by the actor Dennis Waterman have been described in the House of Commons by Glasgow South MP Tom Harris as “disgraceful”.

The star of “Minder” and “The Sweeney” admitted to Piers Morgan that he had slapped and punched his ex-wife Rula Lenska, and claimed it was “not difficult for a woman to make a man hit her”.

Waterman said that because Miss Lenska was a “strong, intelligent' woman who could argue, he resorted to “lashing out” to stop her. He added: “She certainly wasn't a beaten wife, she was hit and that's different.”

In the Commons, Tom had already tabled a question to the Attorney General: “What recent assessment he has made of the role of special domestic violence courts in improving prosecution rates for domestic violence.”

In his follow-up question, Tom referred to Waterman’s comments and challenged the government to make sure that vital services provided by the special domestic violence courts in England are not lost during the current shake-up of the service.

Watch Tom’s question and the government’s answer below.

Ministers to examine case of constituent left in ‘legal limbo’

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:35:32 +0000

Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne has pledged to look into the case of James Toner, the Scot living in a “legal limbo” after being arrested on drugs charges in Goa nearly three years ago.

At a meeting at Westminster between Mr Browne and Tom Harris, Mr Toner’s constituency MP, the minister said he would seek more information about the circumstances of Mr Toner’s arrest and subsequent release on bail. Mr Toner claims that after his arrest on charges of possession of a large quantity of hashish, the police officers who arrested him were themselves arrested on suspicion of corruption. Mr Toner was then released from jail but had his passport confiscated, leaving him without the ability to travel or work. He also does not know when - or if - his case will be brought to trial.

Tom raised the case with Prime Minister david Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions on 7 March an intervention which led directly to today’s meeting.

Tom said today: “I’m pleased that Jeremy Browne is taking this case seriously. Whatever the truth about Mr Toner’s guilt or innocence, it simply cannot be right that nearly three years after his arrest, he is no clearer about his fate. I accept the sensitivities about the government not wishing to interfere in india’s judicial system - that would be wholly wrong. But we have a responsibility to make sure that Mr Toner, as a UK citizen, receives justice and receives it timeously.”