Inter-Parliamentary Union - British Group - PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM ICELAND


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Delegation Reports

PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM ICELAND:
6-9 JUNE 2006

Delegation

Ms Asta Moller
Independence Party

Mr Kristjan Moller
Social Democratic Party

Mrs Arnbjorg Sveinsdottir
Progressive Party

Mrs Belinda Theriault
Secretary

This distinguished delegation led by Ms Moller arrived at Heathrow on Tuesday, 6 June and was met on arrival by Mr Jim Rodgers, Deputy Secretary, British Group IPU. They were accommodated at the Marriot County Hall Hotel.
The programme started that same afternoon with a call on Professor Cope, Director, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology who welcomed the opportunity to speak to the delegation. He explained how the research undertaken by his office is provided on an impartial basis in association with various learned institutions. It does not associate with NGOs or other bodies seeking to influence decisions of parliament. His office has close links with other Nordic parliaments and he has plans to make an official visit to Iceland later in the year.
The planned meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee was cancelled at the last moment due to an unavoidable overrun of its regular Tuesday afternoon meeting. Lord Dubs very kindly stepped in at very short notice and as Chair of the Europe Enlargement All Party Group was able to speak to the visitors about the benefits and drawbacks of EU membership.
In the evening, Derek Conway MP, Vice-Chair of the BGIPU, entertained the guests to drinks on the terrace before hosting the official welcoming dinner in the Churchill Room with other members of the group.
Wednesday started with a two-hour round table discussion with members of the British Group chaired by Austin Mitchell MP, Chair of the British-Icelandic All Party Parliamentary Group.
In her opening statement, Mrs Moller revealed that the Prime Minister of Iceland had unexpectedly announced his resignation. He would in the fullness of time have been expected to hand over the premiership to the Independence Party, as part of the governing coalition agreement, but his Progressive Party’s poor showing in recent local elections seemed to have forced his hand.
Nevertheless, it was a shock to everyone and almost caused the cancellation of the visit as it was announced the day before their departure.
The discussions then focused on the present UK-Iceland relationship and how it has flourished over the last thirty years, given its low starting point at the end of the “Cod War” in 1976.
The Icelandic Kroner, which is not tied to any particular major currency, had become too strong and a recent devaluation is now helping to stabilise the economy. However, interest rates are still high at 12.5 per cent, and this is attracting a lot of foreign investment.
The talks then turned to international affairs including the EU and NATO. The visitors said that Iceland was unlikely to join the EU in the near future but any movement by Norway in that direction may cause them to look at the situation more closely.
Security is a matter of growing anxiety. Iceland is a member of NATO - their peacekeepers train with the Norwegian Army and at present are deployed in Pristina and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the recent US announcement that it is to close the military base at Keflavik has come as a surprise and there is a general feeling of vulnerability and concern that Iceland could become an international terrorist target.
Following the discussions, the delegation attended Prime Minister’s Questions before moving on to Lancaster House where John Heppell MP from the Whip’s office hosted the Government Lunch in honour of the delegation.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Head of the London Branch of the Icelandic Landsbaki UK, Mr Larus Welding. In the evening, the Rt Hon Lord Foulkes of Cumnock very kindly hosted a pre-theatre supper at the Imperial China Restaurant before attending a performance of Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre.
Thursday began with a tour of the Palace of Westminster led by Viscount Craigavon, Secretary of the British-Icelandic All Party Parliamentary Group. This was quickly followed by a meeting with the All Party Group on Fisheries chaired by Austin Mitchell MP with Baroness Wilcox, Joan Humble MP and Angus MacNeil MP.
The chair gave a quick resumé of the British fishing industry following the “Cod War” when the British fishing fleet found itself at a distinct disadvantage. It was forced to fish in the Irish Sea the traditional fishing grounds of the Dutch and Belgium fleets.
The British Government would not spend money on up-grading the fleet, and as a consequence the industry could not get secondary funding from the EU.
The visitors explained that fishing stocks around Iceland are fairly plentiful. At the time of the “Cod War”, the catch was 50,000 tons per annum and it now stands at 105,000 tons.
The annual quota is regulated by the industry and no one company is permitted to catch more than 12 per cent of the overall quota.
However, recent research indicates that Minke Whale has grown to around 70,000 in number and they are eating more cod than previously thought.
This is one of the reasons why they want to reintroduce limited whaling in the North Sea. Also Russian and other fleets are further depleting stocks by fishing just outside the Icelandic limits where International laws do not apply.
In response, members of the group pointed out that the environmental lobby was very strongly against the culling of whales and other mammals that prey on the fishing stock. Technology helped fishermen to ravish the fishing stocks of the world and this has conversely helped the environmentalist argument.
When asked about the growth of fish farming, the delegation replied that they thought that there would soon be two distinct markets, and whilst fish farming is growing, it is now possible to farm Cod, there would always be a market for wild fish.
At midday, the delegation made a courtesy call on Sylvia Heal MP, First Deputy Chair, Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker, before moving on to an official parliamentary lunch hosted by Andrew Rosindell MP, Vice-Chair of the British-Icelandic All-Party Group.
After lunch, the delegation met Jim Dowd MP, Chair of the All-Party Small Shops Group. His group had produced a report that had received wide media coverage both at home and overseas.
Iceland’s small retailers are facing similar difficulties and the delegation was interested in the Governments reaction to the report and subsequent follow-up action.
The last meeting of the visit in parliament was with Rt Hon Lord Baker of Dorking who very kindly invited the delegation to afternoon tea in the House of Lords. In the evening, the delegation attended a dinner in their honour at the residence of the Icelandic Ambassador His Excellency Mr Sverrir Haukur.
On Friday morning, the delegation had time to make only one final visit to the Evelina Children’s Hospital which is part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital complex.
Mrs Moller, who holds the brief on medical matters within her party, had read about this new hospital and its innovative approach to children’s care and was extremely keen to visit it. The delegation returned home to Iceland on Friday afternoon.