§ MR. BIRKBECKasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether all the Maritime Powers represented at the Hague Conference on the North Sea Fisheries have ratified the Convention agreed upon; and, if not, whether Her Majesty's Government will urge such Powers to ratify the same without further delay?
§ MR. MARJORIBANKSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, having regard to the deep importance of "The Sea Fisheries Act, 1883," to the fishing interests of this Country, he can state the reasons for the delay in ratifying the International Convention forming the First Schedule of that Act; whether he will state which of the six high contracting parties have not as yet given their adhesion to the terms of the Convention; and, whether he can hold out hopes of a speedy settlement of any remaining differences between the Powers concerned?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, in reply to the hon. Member, and also to my hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, I may state that the Powers, parties to the Convention in question, have agreed to ratify it; and they have all, with one exception, forwarded to the Hague the instrument of ratification. The remaining ratification is daily expected, and the deposit will then take place.