§ 26. Mr. HENDERSON STEWARTasked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now announce the membership and terms of reference of the Sea Fish Commission; and if he intends asking the Commission to report on special branches of the fishing industry in any particular order, and within any specified periods?
§ 28. Sir M. WOODasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state why there has been a delay of over four months in setting up the Sea Fish Commission; and when the Commission is likely to begin its work?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Elliot)I regret I am not in a position to-day to make an announcement as to the membership and terms of reference of this Commission, but I hope to be able to do so quite shortly. The delay has been due to the difficulty in securing the services of really first-class men who can spare the necessary time to devote, to the Commission's business. The Commission will begin its inquiry as soon as the personnel is complete.
§ Mr. STEWARTCannot the right hon. Gentleman even now answer, or give some indication of an answer, to the second part of my question?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI could not go further than the statement made by the Secretary of State for Scotland in the Debate on my hon. Friend's Motion on 6th December.
§ Sir IAN MACPHERSONWill the right hon. Gentleman see that representatives of the fishermen are on this commission?
§ Mr. ELLIOTNo. Sir, I am most anxious that no representative of any interest should be on this commission, and that it should be a commission entirely apart from the special interests concerned.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWill the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that, embodied in the terms of reference, will be a duty imposed upon the commission meticulously to examine retail prices and their relation to wholesale prices?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI prefer not to give pledges in regard to the terms of reference by way of supplementary question and answer across the Floor of the House.
§ Sir M. WOODAre not the terms of reference stated in the Sea-Fishing Industry Act, and is that a question for the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe terms of reference are, in general, laid down in that Act, but it may be desirable to elaborate them a little more, when they are actually set out in the reference to the commission.
§ Mr. STEWARTCan the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he will urge upon the commission to press forward with the greatest possible speed in their inquiry and in the production of their report?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe Secretary of State for Scotland was very specific on that point in his reply on the Debate of 6th December.
§ 27. Sir M. WOODasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information regarding a credit which the Netherlands Government has granted to assist the Dutch herring fishing industry; and whether he can give particulars of the scheme?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am informed that, for the purpose of maintaining a minimum price of 9 florins (the equivalent of about 22s. 1d.) a barrel, for full-grown herrings, the Netherlands Government have provided a credit of 750,000 florins (the equivalent of about£92,250), with the aid of which a proportion of the catch is to be removed from the market and stored. The Government have also prohibited, as from the 5th December, further landings, in the Netherlands, of herrings that have been gutted and salted at sea.
§ Sir M. WOODHas the right hon. Gentleman anything to propose, in view of the assistance which this rival industry is receiving in Holland?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am interested to find that suggestion coming from that quarter.
§ Sir M. WOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I made no suggestion? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] I am asking what the right hon. Gentleman proposes to do to assist the fishing industry in this country, which is stricken at the present moment, as a direct result of the Government's policy?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am interested to find that that is what the hon. Gentleman is asking. The question that he put on the Paper is in regard to action that the Netherlands Government are taking, and I assume that he desires to assist the herring industry by some cash assistance. I am therefore very interested in that suggestion.
§ Sir M. WOODNo. Sir, I made no such suggestion. I am asking the right hon. Gentleman whether he proposes to do anything to assist a stricken industry, in view of the fact that its competitors in other countries are being assisted by their Governments. Is the light hon. Gentleman not aware that this industry is suffering as a direct result of the Government's policy?
§ Sir H. SAMUELCan the Minister of Agriculture not reply to the question of my hon. Friend?
§ Mr. ELLIOTIt does not arise out of the question on the Paper, or anything near it.