HC Deb 17 February 1955 vol 537 cc531-2
1. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement showing what progress has been made by the White Fish Authority in its costings investigation into distant-water fishing.

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (Mr. Heathcoat Amory)

The White Fish Authority has received completed questionnaires covering the great majority of distant-water vessels. The Authority is analysing these returns and hopes to publish a summary of the results in its next Annual Report.

Mr. Dodds

In the Report of the White Fish Authority, 1952, the promise was made to get something out about this disparity in prices between what is paid at the ports and in the shops. Why has it taken this length of time, until 1955, to obtain this information?

Mr. Amory

The hon. Member knows that the White Fish Authority has already made investigations over quite a wide field. This is the distant-water section about which we are now talking, and the answer which I have given shows him, I think, that investigations there are very well advanced.

Major Wall

Would my right hon. Friend agree that the willingness to produce accounts shown by the distant-water section of the industry has not been followed by the retailers?

Mr. Amory

The British Trawlers' Federation offered to provide information about costs and earnings on every one of its vessels, and that information has been obtained in respect of 273 vessels.

Mr. T. Williams

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether any costings have been received from any section of the retailers?

Mr. Amory

That is rather a different question, and I should like notice of it.