§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, there was a Notice on the Paper in the name of the Lord Advocate to leave Scotland out of the operation of the Merchant Shipping (Fishing Boats) Bill. He would like to know how that came about on that, the last stage; and whether the Lord Advocate was ever consulted, either in drafting the Bill, or in any stage before this House?
MR. GHAMBERLAINsaid, this Bill was founded almost precisely upon the lines of the recommendations of a small Committee which was appointed by the Board of Trade; and when the Bill was originally drawn it was the belief of those concerned that by the principal clauses referring to trawlers and fishing boats of 25 tons net register and upwards, Scotland was practically excluded from the operation of the measure. After the Bill was introduced, his attention was called to its provisions by the hon. Member for the St. Andrew's Burghs (Mr. Williamson), who pointed out that the Scottish boats were now being built every year larger and larger, and the result would be that if the Bill did not apply now, it might speedily apply to these boats. The hon. Member took some other objections to the measure, which led him (Mr. Chamberlain) to consult the Lord Advocate, who, for the reasons he had given, had not previously been consulted; and the Lord Advocate, after consideration, came to the conclusion that on the whole the Bill was unnecessary in Scotland, and that it was desirable that its application to Scotland should be formally excluded. It had, therefore, been determined to exclude Scotland from the operation of the Bill.