§ MR. WEIR () Ross and CromartyToask the Lord Advocate, in view of the fact that a number of British-owned trawlers have recently been transferred to the Norwegian flag and registered at Brevig under the name of Zodiac Steam Fishing Company, so that as foreign trawlers they can fish in the Moray Firth, will the Secretary for Scotland consider the expediency of taking some action such as will put trawlers sailing under a foreign flag on the same footing as trawlers sailing under the British flag; and will he state whether the Norwegian Government have been made award that the Moray Firth has been closed against British trawlers for scientific research.
(Answered by Mr. A. Graham Murray.) There is no reason to doubt that through their delegated at the Christiania Fishery Conference, and otherwise, the Norwegian Government are fully aware of the closing of the Moray Firth against British trawlers. With regard to all the earlier part of the Question of the hon. Member I can only say that the whole question is surrounded with great difficulty; and while it is, as a matter of course, the subject of consideration, the Secretary for Scotland cannot come under any further obligation in regard to it at present.