HC Deb 22 May 1924 vol 173 cc2413-4
85. Mr. LIVINGSTONE

asked the Secretary for Scotland what steps have actually been taken this year to protect the fishermen of the Western Isles against the depredations of illegal trawlers; and what steps have been taken towards equipping the fishery cruisers with wireless?

Mr. ADAMSON

A regular patrol of the waters off the coasts of the Western Isles has been maintained by the Fishery Board's cruiser service with, I believe, satisfactory results, and complaints of illegal trawling in these areas have been few in number this year. The hydroplane attached to the fishery cruiser "Minna" has proved very serviceable in increasing the effectiveness of the patrol. Wireless equipment has now been installed experimentally on the "Minna" and, if the results on that vessel are satisfactory, the question of equipping other cruisers with wireless apparatus will be considered.