10. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Agriclture if he will consider whether there is any practical increase of efficiency by England and Scotland being separately represented on the Council for the Scientific Investigation of the North Sea; and if any other country represented on the council incurs the expense of duplication?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANEach of the Governments which contributes to the expenses of the International Council is entitled to appoint two delegates. The only Government which does not in practice send two delegates is that of Norway. The English and Scottish delegates jointly represent the British Government, and, so long as the present constitution of the Council is maintained, it appears to me to be both convenient and desirable that Scotland should be represented on it.
11. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he has been successful in persuading the representative of the United Kingdom on the International Council for the Investigation of the North Sea to inquire into the destruction of immature fish by the increasing practice of trawling for herrings; and, if he has any doubt about the destruction of immature fish by trawlers, whether some of the money now spent on so-called scientific investigation will be devoted to practical investigation on board a trawler which could be hired for the purpose?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe International Council for the Investigation of the North Sea resolved in April last to investigate the influence upon the fisheries of herring trawling with fine-meshed nets. At the meeting of the Council last month it was reported that the investigation was in progress, and the subject was further discussed with a view to secure co-ordinated study of the problem by all the countries concerned. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth on the 16th inst.