§ 8. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the discussions held in January, 1956, in London between the representatives of the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and representatives of the British fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on their bearing and effect on the Scottish fishing industry.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartI presume the hon. and learned Member is referring to a meeting on 5th January about the Icelandic fisheries dispute. At that meeting, which I attended, the representatives of the industry agreed to accept in principle certain proposals put forward by an O.E.E.C. Group for resolving the dispute. Further discussions are now to take place in the Group, and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to make a statement at present.
§ Mr. Hector HughesI am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for that answer, but can he say whether any discussions took 9 place about plans for future co-operation in order to obviate these international discussions which are doing so much harm to the fishing industry?
§ Mr. StewartAll these discussions are really about better co-operation, and one can only hope that what we have done and what we have offered to do may result in better relations.