HC Deb 18 November 1937 vol 329 cc714-5

Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 6g.

[Captain BOURNE in the Chair.]

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to make provision for the better organisation of the white fish industry, to amend the Sea-Fishing Industry Act, 1933, the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act, 1934, Part IV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and other enactments relating to sea fisheries, and to make provision for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid, it is experient to authorize—

  1. (1) the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament—
    1. (a) of such remuneration to the members, officers and servants of the White Fish Commission, the consumers' committee and the committee of investigation which are to be constituted under the said Act, as may be approved by the Treasury;
    2. (b) of the amounts necessary to defray such expenses of the said Commission (other than expenses which, by virtue of the said Act, are to he defrayed out of a fund to be established under the control of the said Commission), such expenses of the White Fish Industry Joint Council to be constituted under the said Act, and such expenses of the said consumers' committee and committee of investigation, as may be approved by the Treasury;
    3. (c) of the amount of any sum certified, with the approval of the Treasury, to represent the expenses properly incurred by any person in connection with the preparation and promotion of any scheme under the said Act which is therein referred to as a marketing scheme, being expenses incurred in a case where a Motion made in Parliament for the approval of the scheme is negatived or withdrawn;
    4. (d) of not more than ten thousand pounds in all to be used, with the approval of the Treasury, in making, during the period of five years beginning at the commencement of the said Act, loans for the purpose of providing for expenses incurred in connection with the initial operation of any scheme under the said Act which is therein referred to as a co-operative scheme; and
    5. (e) of the amounts necessary to defray any expenses incurred in pursuance of the said Act by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries or a Secretary of State; and
  2. (2) the payment into the Exchequer of all sums received under the said Act by the said Commission, other than sums which, by virtue of the said Act, are to be paid into the said fund.—[Mr. W. S. Morrison.]

10.55 p.m.

Mr. Garro Jones

May I ask whether it is proposed to make any provision for the payment of the independent chairman of the Joint Council and the independent members of the marketing boards? I think everybody recognises that a great deal of work in the interests of the industry will be done by the chairman of the Joint Council and the three or four independent members of each marketing board. Is it proposed to make any arrangement as regards their payment?

10.56 p.m.

Mr. W. S. Morrison

That is a question which one could not answer in advance of the coming into operation of the Bill. It is sometimes possible, in my Department, to get the services of an independent man in one of these posts for no remuneration. In other cases the circumstances of the best man who is available may make it advisable that he should be remunerated out of the public funds for the duties which he performs. Until the Bill has become law, it will not be possible to proceed to the selection and appointment of the persons who are to fill these posts, and I would, therefore, ask the hon. Member to wait until a later stage when it will be possible to give him the information for which he asks.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.