§ CAPTAIN PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that during the past few days the trawler Dania has again been fishing in the Moray Firth, and that she is now joined by a German trawler the Gadus, No 11, of Hamburg; and whether if this is so, and in view of the apparent impossibility of either preventing foreign trawlers from fishing within the prescribed areas, or from selling the fish so caught at English ports, and that the prohibition of their sale at Scottish ports is only an aggravation of the injury to Scottish interests, the only result being to deprive Scotland of the tolls and dues on the vessels, he, as representing Scottish interests in this House, will urge upon the Government the necessity of taking some steps to really protect these interests in the immediate future?
§ MR. T. C. H. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs)said that he had put 736 down a Question on this subject for Tomorrow, which he might as well put now. It was to ask the Lord Advocate whether he would institute inquiries to ascertain whether the trawlers mentioned in the Question of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, were engaged in genuine business on behalf of foreign owners, or whether they had been brought or induced to come to the Moray Firth by the owners of British trawlers or other persons interested in the industry, in order to evade the laws of the realm?
§ * The LORD ADVOCATEThe trawler Dania is still fishing in the extra territorial waters of the Moray Firth, but when boarded recently by the commander of the Jackal, the master intimated his intention of departing for Icelandic waters at the end of this week. The trawler Gadus, H. 11, has not been seen inside the Moray Firth, but was sighted by an Aberdeen trawler off the coast of Aberdeenshire. After consultation with the Secretary for Scotland, I see no reason to take action in the direction desired by the hon. and gallant Gentleman. In answer to the supplementary question of the hon. Member for Wick Burghs, I have to say that inquiries have been made, and so far no evidence has been brought to the knowledge of the Scottish Office to show that these trawlers are anything else than bona fide, foreign trawlers.
§ CAPTAIN PIRIEsaid that, as this was a matter which was attracting great attention in the north of Scotland, he asked whether the Lord Advocate could make a statement of denial?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!