HC Deb 13 February 1929 vol 225 cc403-5
46. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received a telegram from Buckie informing him that on the 6th and 7th of January last, the herring drifters, with nearly 1,000 crans of herring, were ordered to proceed out of harbour again and dump their cargoes of 1,000,000 herring into the sea, owing to a ban placed on further landings by an exporters and fish curers' committee, because the Continental markets have been fully supplied; and whether he can propose any emergency measures to prevent further such waste of food, in view of the prevailing distress in many parts of the country, and especially in the raining districts?

71. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that a fish haul totalling 200 tons of herring was caught off the coast of Buckie, Banffshire, during the week-end, the major portion of which was thrown back into the sea; that only one boatload out of seven was transported by the local farmers for use as manure; and whether his Department has any machinery which could deal with the distribution of catches of fish when in excess of the normal supply?

The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir John Gilmour)

My right hon. Friend received a telegram from Buckie on 8th February in which it was stated that nearly 1,000 crans of herrings would have to be returned to the sea owing to lack of purchasers. I understand that these herrings, which had been caught on the north-west coast and were apparently of indifferent quality, were unsuccessfully offered for sale at Wick on 7th February and at Buckie on 8th February. The curers would not buy them for curing in view of stocks on hand and restricted demand.

My Department has no machinery for dealing with the distribution of surplus catches of fish. As regards the suggestion made by the hon. and gallant Member with respect to the use of such fish in the mining districts, I am communicating the suggestion to the Scottish Central Advisory Committee for their consideration.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I am sorry, but January in the question should have been February. I have no doubt that the Secretary of State for Scotland understands that. May I ask if he will also communicate with the English Distress Committee under the President of the Board of Education with a view to seeing whether further gluts of fish might be bought and distributed in the distressed areas.

Sir J. GILMOUR

I will draw my right hon. Friend's attention to that suggestion.

Mr. BOOTHBY

Arising out of the answer, may I ask whether it is not a fact that there is good reason to suppose that the ban referred to has been imposed on the herring fishing industry by a small group of curers for purposes of their own, for the purpose of filling their own pockets, and, if that is the case, will the right hon. Gentleman have an inquiry made into the whole position?

Sir BERTRAM FALLE

May I ask whether this is not an unusual season for the herring to come to Buckie; and cannot my right hon. Friend suggest a remedy by which the fish caught may be preserved for sale in this country instead of sending them to the foreigner to be sold at three for 1d.?

Sir J. GILMOUR

Investigation is constantly being made as to the possibility of adopting fresh curing methods in order to distribute them for sale. With regard to the question of the hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby), if he can give me any evidence whatever to support what he has said, I will certainly look into the matter.

Mr. W. THORNE

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that wagon loads of this fish are sold to farmers for manure Can he state what was the price paid?

Sir J. GILMOUR

I could not answer without notice. Probably some of the herring are eventually used as manure.

Sir W. SUGDEN

Is not the difficulty due to the fact that the Germans are permitted to dump their fish into our ports, while our own fishermen are not permitted to take their fish into foreign ports because of a prohibitive embargo?

Mr. PALING

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in answer to a question in this House yesterday it was stated that there had been an alarming decrease in the number of people engaged in the fishing industry, and is that to be wondered at in face of such facts as those stated?