§ Mr. WEIRasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now see his way to approach the signatories to the North Sea Fisheries Convention, and other European Powers interested, with a view to some understanding under which it shall be binding on ail the Powers to refrain from fishing in waters such as the Moray Firth when the Power exercising dominion over the adjacent shore has found it expedient to close such waters against trawlers of its own nationality?
§ Sir E. GREYI have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member's question of 5th July last.
§ Mr. WEIRAm I to understand that this country can take no action to prevent foreign trawlers from coming into our fishing grounds?
§ Sir E. GREYThe answer I gave on a previous occasion was that this was a question of general policy, and that His Majesty's Government were not moving further in the matter. We expected when we introduced legislation to achieve practically the desired object.
§ Mr. WEIRDoes not the legislation allow foreign trawlers to come into our fishing grounds and take fish which, under former conditions, would have been supplied to our own markets?
§ Sir E. GREYThe expectation was that the legislation would meet the case.
§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYWill the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the whole question?
§ Sir E. GREYIt is a question of general policy in which many issues are involved. If the Bill which has been introduced fails, no doubt the question will have to be considered from the point of view of general policy as a whole.