§ MR. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland what, action the Government intend to take with regard to the Sea Fisheries (Scotland) Bill, in view of the rejection of the Rating Clause in the House of Lords?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANThe House of Lords has struck out from the Scotch Fisheries Bill those provisions for forming representative Fishery Committees and a representative Fishery Board which had been accepted by the House of Commons. The House of Lords has likewise struck out all provision for obtaining the funds requisite for accomplishing the objects aimed at in the Bill. These and other minor, but still important, changes have rendered the measure altogether useless for the purposes for which it was introduced, and the Government, therefore, will not proceed further with the Bill.
§ MR. WASON (Ayrshire, S.)Would it not be possible to pass the portion of the measure relating to beam trawling?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANIt would be impossible to comply with the suggestion of the hon. Member. Apart from other considerations, such a course would not be compatible with the title and Preamble of the Bill.
§ MR.BUCHANANWill the Government introduce a Bill on this question next Session if representations are made on behalf of Scotch fishermen?
§ MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E)May I ask whether some of the 728 Amendments of the Lords do not come within the ruling of Mr. Speaker on Friday evening last?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI cannot answer any question about proposed legislation for next Session. My belief is, that the Lords were perfectly within their legal rights in the Amendments-they introduced.
§ DR. MACGREGORMay I ask the Prime Minister how long the Government intend to tolerate—
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!