§ MR. BIRKMYRE (&c) Ayr,I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that complaints have been made that the protection afforded to fishermen on the West Coast of Scotland against the depredations of the steam trawling vessels is inadequate; will he be prepared to furnish a Report of the watching operations of the sea police boats for the month of May; and whether he would sanction the enrolment of selected fishermen as special constables for fishery service, their remuneration to be paid from fines exigible on conviction from the offenders?
§ MR. A. C. MORTONOn behalf of the hon. Member for Ross and Cromarty, I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the last Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland states that at the present day the Vigilant, which is an old sailing cruiser, is not worth the money which she costs to keep up, and that she 326 should be superseded by a steam vessel; and whether it is the intention of the Scottish Office to remove this sailing ship: and, if not, will he explain on what grounds?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANThe Government will have to consider, before next year's Estimates, the advisability of providing, in the place of the Vigilant, a steam launch such as is owned by the Fishery Board of the County of Lancaster for similar services as those performed by the Vigilant.