§ 51. Miss Irene Wardasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to protect the fishing industry against the problems arising from the increased cost of coal and the threat to the employment of all the British workers engaged in the industry through the unregulated imports of foreign fish.
Mr. T. WilliamsIn view of the removal of controls on the selling of fish next month I am not prepared to intervene. I would add that the recent fall in prices cannot be attributed to landings from foreign ships.
§ Miss WardWill the right hon. Gentleman make a general statement before long, covering all the points I have put down in my Question?
Mr. WilliamsPerhaps this statement will satisfy the hon. Member: in the four months ending 31st January, 1950, landings in Great Britain of British and foreign caught white fish rose to 275,087 tons, which is 2.3 per cent. more than they were in the same period a year ago; whereas landings of foreign caught fish fell to 35,352 tons, which is 35 per cent less.