4. Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Minister of Food how much fish has been used for manure and how much sold to the fish meal works since 1st September, 1949, until the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. WebbFrom 1st September, 1949, to 28th February, 1950, 22,400 tons of white fish, of which 5,900 tons had been condemned, were sold to fish meal works, and 16,700 tons of herrings were sold for reduction to oil and meal. I have no statistics of sales for manure, but the quantities can only have been extremely small.
Air-Commodore HarveyIs the right hon. Gentleman not disturbed by these figures? Will he tell the House what steps he is taking with his colleague the Minister of Agriculture to stop this deplorable practice, which involves the waste of good food and the importing of foreign food?
§ Mr. WebbAs I told the House last week, my right hon. Friend and I are now going into the whole future of the fishing industry.
§ Mr. C. S. TaylorCan the right hon. Gentleman say how much of this fish is sent to fish meal factories, because the Government have loosed stocks from cold storage?
§ 20. Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Minister of Food what steps he proposes to take to compensate Scottish fishermen for the withdrawal of the flat-rate transport scheme for fish and to make it possible for Scottish fishermen to sell their produce at a competitive price in English markets.
§ Mr. WebbI met a deputation of M.P.s from the party opposite on this problem a few days ago. While I cannot postpone, for obvious reasons, the operation of the plans to free the fishing industry from control, I have given an assurance to consider their proposals for easing any adverse consequence of decontrol on their particular section of the industry. An inter-Departmental Committee is considering the whole problem and has been asked to report as quickly as possible. When it does, I and my colleagues will act as speedily as possible on their recommendation. In the 5 meantime, may I suggest it would be helpful if all the Members concerned in this problem acted together and put forward agreed ideas.
§ Mr. StewartMay I inform the right hon. Gentleman that we do act together, but that that does not prevent us putting down individual Questions? Since the date of the ending of this scheme is now very near, will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to expedite the findings of the committee?
§ 21. Mr. Stewartasked the Minister of Food in view of the large importation of Norwegian herrings in recent weeks and the large quantities of Scottish herrings which had, in consequence, to be sold at low prices, what steps he proposes to take now, or has in contemplation to take in another year, to regulate these imports so as to prevent a recurrence of substantial losses to the home trade.
§ Mr. WebbThe quantity imported has been only about 50 per cent. of last year's imports and 30 per cent. of those of 1948, while British landings have increased 6 per cent. over last year. I do not think, therefore, that any action on my part is needed.
| CLASSES OF INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYEES* ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL WEEKLY ALLOWANCES OF RATIONED FOODS IN EXCESS OF THE ORDINARY RATION SCALES, THE CONDITIONS OF ENTITLEMENT, AND THE AMOUNT THEREOF. | |||||
| Class of employee | Conditions of entitlement | Type and current amount, of special rations(s) per week | |||
| Articled seamen; fisherman and the like working under similar conditions; and workers on rock lighthouses. | continuous employment aflot or on rock lighthouses. | In lieu of the ordinary ration scale, the following: | |||
| Bacon (free of bone) | 8 oz. | ||||
| Cheese | … | … | 4 oz. | ||
| Fats | … | … | 14½ oz. | ||
| Meat | … | … | 75 oz. | ||
| Milk (condensed) | 1 tin | ||||
| Sugar | … | … | 21 oz. | ||
| Tea | … | … | 4 oz. | ||
| Points | 14 points | ||||
| Note: The scale shown is that obtainable against coupons in Weekly Seaman's Ration Book R.B.6. Crews of vessels victullated by other means receive a comparable scale. | |||||
| * Other than ocean-going seamen and marine workers. |
§ Mr. StewartIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that herrings of the highest quality and in considerable quantities were being sent to the factory in the West of Scotland on account of this great importation of Norwegian herrings, the result being that first-class Scottish produce was in that way being wasted for food consumption?
§ Mr. WebbIf the hon. Gentleman has any representations to make to me on this matter perhaps he will write to me or see me about them.