Guess What's Missing?

My MP Ed Vaizey has a regular column in most of the local publications across our contistuency as you would expect. Here's an extract from his latest column in my local magazine regarding fishing:

Over recent weeks I have received a great many emails on two issues in particular: fish and forests...The other issue that has excercised a lot of people is the future of our fish stocks. There is curently a very popular Early Day Motion in Parliament about the damaging practice of discarding unwanted fish. At present, when fishermen trawl for fish, they often throw back up to half their catch, because the fish are too small, too young or too unpopular a species to be sold. These discarded fish are mostly killed by being caught; they are beginning to pollute our seas which will harm the future of our fishing industry. It is also morally wrong, I believe, to kill animals that will not be eaten.

The Government is therefore looking at a number of ways to reform the fishing industry. There have been remarkable results from a pilot scheme which incentiveses fishermen to design more selective nets and DEFRA is looking at new quota systems that will measure the amount caught, instead of the amount brought into dock.

No prizes for guessing what is missing from Mr Vaizey's article - perhaps he forgot to mention it, afterall the Tories promised to get tough on the EU, so surely Mr Vaizey would wish to use this as an example of repatriation, by the Tories, of powers back from the EU.

Surely?

Mandatory Nutrition Risk Screening

Proposed in the EU parliament:

Slovenian MEP Alojz Peterle has called for mandatory nutrition risk screening to help tackle the problem of malnutrition.

Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, the centre-right deputy said he plans to launch a resolution calling for pan-European screening for all hospital patients.

He said, "Malnutrition is associated with a whole host of public health concerns and chronic conditions - including obesity, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, some cancers and certain rare diseases.

"All of these place a considerable economic burden on healthcare systems, particularly as society continues to age.

"Malnutrition requires a cross-cutting solution; a good first step would be mandatory nutrition risk screening across Europe, on which I will encourage my colleagues to adopt a parliamentary resolution."

The conference was told that some 20 million EU citizens suffer from malnutrition and the health-related costs of the condition are estimated to be as high as €120bn a year.

Perhaps not doing this might help.