§ 34. Sir J. JARDINEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has received a formal resolution passed at a conference of representatives of Border angling associa- 10 tions, held at Galashiels on the 9th February, wherein it was resolved to petition the Minister of Food and the local food control committees in all the Border towns and counties, with a view to their taking immediate action to secure greater facilities for angling for trout and salmon, and, with this end in view, urging that they take steps to secure the relaxation of the existing fishing laws, especially the laws applicable to the river Tweed and its tributaries, and also the removal of restrictions imposed by riparian proprietors, who at present close many stretches of their waters, so that all persons may be permitted to kill, with any legal lure, salmon and trout, including kelted salmon which have performed the function for which they ascended the rivers, and asserting that the latter fish are excellent food and preferable to salmon killed during the autumn; and whether the Ministry of Food has taken or intends to take any action, with a view to making this natural supply of fish available to the people of the Border land during the present time of restrictions on the supply of food?
§ Mr. CLYNESThis resolution has been referred to the Secretary for Scotland, to whose Department the Regulation of salmon fishing in that country primarily appertains. I am assured that every effort will be made to increase the amount of trout and salmon available.
§ Sir F. BLAKEWill the hon. Gentle-man, before his Department takes any action, obtain further particulars on the merits of this subject?
§ Mr. CLYNESYes; I shall be glad to do that.
§ 35. Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that, while the price at which a fishmonger may retail fish is fixed by the Food Controller, the price at which the middleman may sell is not; and that, as the result, the fish-monger who is anxious to supply his customers has often to pay more for his fish than the price at which he is allowed to retail it; and whether he will take immediate steps to control the price in all hands through which fish may pass before reaching the consumer?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe scheme for the control of fish prices at intermediate stages of distribution is being worked out as rapidly as circumstances permit.
§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYWill the Ministry of Food facilitate, so far as they can, the direct sale of fish from the fishermen to the fish retailer, and avoid, so far as possible, the intermediate profiteering persons?
§ Mr. CLYNESIn this, as in so many other articles of food, it has been hardly possible to dispense with the people who formed the channels of supply in times of peace, but where any intermediate person has been discovered to be totally unnecessary he has been set aside.
§ Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSIs it not the fact that in London a few days ago there was a meeting of retailers who refused to buy fish because they could not retail it at prices to yield a profit, and that this fish was left on the hands of the middlemen and a lot of it went bad?
§ Mr. CLYNESI have had no particulars of that nature, but such is the demand for fish that, as I think hon. Members will agree, fish can be sold at any price at which it can be put on the market.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that at Grimsby last week fish was being sold at higher prices that those at which retailers could sell it retail?
§ Mr. CLYNESIf there is any case within the knowledge of the hon. Member perhaps he will report it to us.
§ Mr. BYRNEWill the hon. Gentleman see that the price of salmon is not interfered with, seeing that salmon is the rich man's food procured by poor men's labour?
§ Mr. CLYNESI shall pay due regard to that argument, though almost all fish is procured by poor men's labour.