§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)asked the Lord Advocate, When the Annual Report of the Scotch Fishery Board, now upon the Table, will be printed; and, whether he is aware that the Aberdeen Bay was opened for beam-trawling on the application of one St. Andrews trawler and a single Company in Grantown only, notwithstanding the unanimous remonstrance of all practical line fishermen in the Aberdeen district? I would also ask the Lord Advocate, as arising out of his answer to another Question, if he does not answer in this House for the Secretary of Scotland, who does?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)The Report is in the hands of the printers, and I am unable at present to say how soon it will be ready for circulation; but I hope the delay will not be long. In regard to the second part of the Question, I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on the 4th of July, when he asked the reasons why the bye-law prohibiting trawling in Aberdeen Bay was revoked. In reference to the last Question of the hon. Member, my reason for not answering any Question about neglect of duty by the Secretary for Scotland is that I do not think it would be becoming in me, as a junior official to him, to enter into such a matter. As such junior official, it is also not my duty to state who is to answer Questions in reference to such fault imputed to the Secretary for Scotland.