RIVER DEE (POLLUTION) (Hansard, 30 April 1953)

§ 1. Mrs. Braddock
asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the salmon in the Dee estuary are being poisoned and the fishing there has been destroyed this season; and, in view of the fact that the chairman of the Clwyd and Dee River Board is the principal of the firm causing the effluent responsible for the poisoning of the river, if he will appoint an independent committee to investigate all the circumstances.

§ 11. Mr. Nield
asked the Minister of Agriculture what information he has as to the circumstances in which there has been pollution of the River Dee with consequent damage to the salmon fishing; and if he will take such steps as are open to him to protect the interests of the Dee net fishermen at Chester who are licensed to fish the river.

§ Mr. G. Williams
On a point of order. May we be told which River Dee is referred to in the Question?

§ Mr. Speaker
Perhaps the Minister's answer will make that clear.

§ The Minister of Agriculture (Sir Thomas Dugdale)
It is the Cheshire Dee, which runs through Chester.
2318 I am fully aware of the importance of this matter to the Dee net fishermen and I am keeping a very careful watch on the situation. As, however, the Anglers' Co-operative Association have instituted legal proceedings in this case, I do not feel that I should comment further at this stage.

§ Mrs. Braddock
While I appreciate and know the action which has been taken, may I ask the Minister whether he is aware that the board itself knows of this pollution and knows of the source of the pollution? No action has been taken, and the Chester anglers are of the opinion that there is some personal reason why action has not been taken against the board because of the joint control between the firm which they say is responsible for the pollution and the chairmanship of the Clwyd and Dee River Board.

§ Mr. Nield
Would the Minister consider whether it would not be in the interests of the net fishermen whose livelihood is in danger, and in the general interest, to apply the prevention of pollution provisions of the Rivers Act, 1951, to these tidal waters?

§ Sir T. Dugdale
I appreciate the point raised by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Chester (Mr. Nield) and also what was said by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange (Mrs. Braddock), but I must stand on this point: while the matter is sub judice I can make no further comment.

§ Mr. Speaker
Sir Leslie Plummer. Question No. 2.

§ Mr. Nabarro
On a point of order. May I have permission to put a supplementary question on Question No. 1 in view of the fact that I am a member of the board concerned?

§ Mr. Speaker
We have passed from that Question, but the circumstances are a little unusual. Mr. Nabarro.

§ Mr. Nabarro
While declaring my interest as a member of the Navigation Committee of the Board mentioned in the Question, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he is aware that the Clwyd and Dee River Board have a long and admirable record in anti-pollution matters, and that this is a mischievous personal attack on a public servant?

Mr. Speaker: Order
. I thought the hon. Member was going to ask some question for information.

§ Mr. Nally
On a point of order. The words of the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) will be recorded in HANSARD. He finished his alleged question by making a series of allegations which, quite properly you would not normally have permitted to have been made in a supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. You were taken by surprise. I ask you whether you would not consider it proper to administer at least some form of rebuke to the hon. Member for Kidderminster, who has grossly abused the courtesy which he asked of you.

§ Mr. Speaker
I must say that the supplementary question took me by surprise. I thought the hon. Member for Kidderminster, as one of the board, ought to be given special leave in case there was something he could contribute for the information of the House. I think that what I have said is quite sufficient.