§ MR. WEIR (ROSS and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will provide the Scottish Office or the Scottish Fishery Board with sufficient funds to meet the cost of putting the harbour at Portmahomack in such a condition that the fishermen may be able to enter the harbour with their boats at all states of the tide, and thus obviate the decline of this important fishing town?
§ THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, BridgetonIn reply to the hon. Member, Portmahomack is a village of about 300 inhabitants, possessing about 25 boats, at the entrance to the Dornoch Firth, in the County of Ross. The County Council have submitted the names of 25 places, where piers, harbours, or boat-slips might be made to advantage. Portmahomack is not in that list. Up to now it has only been possible to entertain 10 out of the 25 sites mentioned. I have received a Petition from the Harbour Committee for better accommodation; but as the County Council have taken no measures for bringing forward the claims of Portmahomack, the Scottish Office does not propose to undertake any work there just now.
§ MR. CAINE (Bradford, E.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the entire population of this important fishing town was, according to the last Census, 458?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANYes; I think it was about that; but it is not in itself a sufficient reason for refusing the grant. It has 25 boats.
§ *MR. WEIRBecause of the imperfect and dangerous condition of the harbour many of the fishermen have had to use other harbours, which could be entered with safety at all states of the tide.