§ MR. HARRY FOSTERI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade—(1) if he can explain why no communication has been made to any of the Foreign 1579 Powers interested in the North Sea Fisheries, a period of nearly two years having elapsed since the recommendations of a Select Committee of this House; (2) whether he has now received any communication from Lowestoft forwarding him resolutions unanimously passed at a meeting of those engaged in the trawling industry and, longshoremen of that port, taking strong objection to Part I. of the Fisheries Acts Amendment Bill; (3) whether he has also received a communication from the Gipping Angling Preservation Society expressing strong approval of Part II. of the said Bill; and (4) whether he is now in a position to state what opportunity he is prepared to afford the House of discussing the principles of the Bill?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. J. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.As I explained, in answer to a former question, the negotiation of international conventions is a difficult and delicate matter, and one which does not always issue in success. In this particular case much consideration would be needed before the steps referred to in the question tending to enlarge the territorial three-mile limit could be taken, and the matter is still before Her Majesty's Government. I have received such a communication as mentioned in the second paragraph of the question, but must observe that some of those Gentlemen who were at the meeting, including the gentleman in whose office it was held, were present at a previous meeting which unanimously approved of the proposals which are embodied in the Bill. I am not at present able to say what opportunities for discussing the Bill can be given.
§ MR. HARRY FOSTERMay I ask the right hon Gentleman whether he proposes to continue the course of putting this Bill down after midnight when there is no chance of discussing it?