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Tuesday, October 26, 1999 Published at 05:55 GMT

UK: Scotland

Minister's historic Euro meeting

Fishing matters are due to be discussed in Luxembourg

Deputy Rural Affairs Minister John Home Robertson is due to make political history when becomes the first member of the Scottish Executive to attend a European Council meeting.

Mr Home Roberston, the MSP for East Lothian, will represent Scottish fishing interests at a meeting in Luxembourg.

The British delegation will be led by the UK Fishing Minister, Elliot Morley.

[ image: John Home Robertson: Historic meeting]
John Home Robertson: Historic meeting
However, ministerial sources said Mr Home Robertson is likely to lead the negotiations at some stage because of the importance of the Scottish industry.

The Scottish National Party said it refused to accept that a Westminster minister should lead a fishing delegation from Britain when most of the industry is north of the border.

The party said the meeting would be a real test for the executive and has challenged Mr Home Robertson to be a strong voice for the Scottish industry.

Nationalist fisheries spokesman, Richard Lochhead MSP, said that two thirds of the British industry is in Scotland, and fishing is "10 times more important" north of the border.

Mr Lochhead called on Scottish ministers to lead European talks as a matter of course.

The north east Scotland region MSP said: "Given that the industry is 10 times more important to the Scottish economy than to the UK's as a whole, it is essential Mr Home Robertson is not there just to carry Elliot Morley's bags but to fight for Scotland's fishing communities."