§ 8. Sir M. WOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the agreement which has been entered into with Germany regarding fish, any provision has been made for a reduction of the duty on cured herrings entering Germany?
§ Sir G. COLLINSThe agreement with Germany, to which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries referred in the Debate last Wednesday, is not a comprehensive agreement on fish, but as he indicated, is concerned only with the application to Germany of the Government's proposals for the regulation of foreign supplies as part of the scheme for improving the home market. In this agreement it was not possible to deal with the question of the German duty on British cured herrings, but the Government is fully alive to the importance of that question and will lose no opportunity, in negotiations with Germany and other importing countries, of facilitating the trade in cured herrings.
§ Sir M. WOODIs my right hon. Friend aware that the summer fishing is about to commence and the herring trade want to know what prospect there is of the duty, which has been trebled, being reduced? Can he hold out any hope that this year there will be any reduction?
§ Sir G. COLLINSI am well aware of the time of fishing in the North Sea, but I am unable to go any further than the terms of my answer.
§ Mr. MAXTONThe right hon. Gentleman has said that it was not possible to include herrings in this agreement. Can he tell us whether an attempt was made to include herring or not?