§ MR. WILLIAMSON (Elgin and Nairn)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that most of the so-called foreign trawlers in the Moray Firth are owned in Grimsby, and are placed under the Norwegian flag in order to evade the laws of this Country, and thus unfairly to fish in waters prohibited to their fellow countrymen; and, seeing that the International Fisheries Conference at Christiana in 1901, at which the representatives of Norway were present, unanimously passed a resolution to the effect that in distinct areas of the sea, as for example the Moray Firth, in which any Government have undertaken scientific experiments in the interests of the fisheries, and in which the success of the experiments is being hindered by the operations of trawlers, it is to be desired that measures be adopted for the removal of such hindrances, whether the Government will make a friendly representation to the Norwegian Government with regard to adoption of measures for the removal of the hindrances above referred to?
§ MR. SINCLAIRI understand the facts to be as stated in the first part of my hon. friend's Question. The 1582 remainder is covered by the general reply which I have just given on this subject.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYWill the right hon. Gentleman publish a return showing the number of vessels British owned but sailing under the Norwegian flag?
§ MR. SINCLAIRIf the hon. Gentleman will put down that Question I will consider it.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYThis is an unfair charge on some of my constituents.
§ MR. WILLIAMSONIs the hon. Member for Grimsby not himself interested?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order.
§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYThat is an insinuation which——
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order, I did not allow the question so I cannot permit the reply.