§ Mr. MILDMAYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in order to obviate the possibility that matters of grave importance to the future of those employed in the sea-fishing industry may be discussed without their cognisance, he will consider the desirability of varying 204 Regulation 4 of the Sea Fisheries Regulations with respect to the making of bylaws, so that in future notice of the intention of the Sea Fisheries Committees to consider any new by-law shall be locally advertised prior to such consideration by the committees, instead of local advertisement being deferred, in accordance with the present regulations, until after the bylaw has been passed by the Sea Fisheries Committees, and confirmation of the same by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries is about to be sought; and whether, in addition to advertisement in the local newspapers, he will, by regulation, require notice of such intention to consider new by-laws to be posted with Board of Trade notices in the fishing centres?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUnder the existing Regulations notice of the intention to propose a new by-law must be sent to each member of the Fisheries Committee concerned, on which the fishermen are represented. The advertisement of every such proposal would involve considerable cost, and, having regard to the fact that a considerable proportion of them may prove abortive and that the by-law, if made, may assume a different shape from that originally proposed, I doubt whether it would serve any useful purpose. Notice of the intention to apply for the confirmation of a new by-law when made must be advertised in two consecutive weeks, and the notice must include a description of the purport of the by-law. I have received no evidence to show that these requirements do not sufficiently safeguard the interests of all concerned.
§ Mr. MILDMAYHas the right hon. Gentleman received information lately that a particular by-law largely affecting fishermen was discussed without their knowledge at all?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no means of knowing if it was discussed without the knowledge of the people concerned, but there is no power of passing a by-law without full inquiry, and that, of course, will be held.