§ 58. Sir DOUGLAS THOMSONasked the Lord Advocate whether, in view of the serious consequences to the master of a trawler convicted of illegal trawling, he will give instructions for verbatim notes of evidence to be taken in sheriff courts trying such cases?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEOffences under the Illegal Trawling (Scotland) Act, 1934, are tried summarily, and, in view of the limited right of appeal available in such cases, no purpose would be served by the provision of verbatim notes of evidence. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to-day to a similar question addressed to me by the hon. Member for East Edinburgh (Mr. Pethick-Lawrence).
§ 59. Sir D. THOMSONasked the Lord Advocate whether he will consider taking the necessary steps to provide nautical assessors in sheriff courts when evidence of illegal trawling is being considered?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEThere is no statutory warrant for the employment of nautical or other expert assessors in criminal cases. As the issues raised in illegal trawling prosecutions are issues of fact which are rarely, if ever, complicated by questions of practical seamanship on which the opinion of a nautical assessor would be of value, I regret that I am unable to accept my hon. Friend's suggestion.