HC Deb 13 March 1956 vol 550 cc205-6
23. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Herring Industry Board intends to develop herring processing in the Uist and Barra areas of the Hebrides.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

The Herring Industry Board does not consider that a processing plant in the Uist or Barra areas could be economic.

Mr. MacMillan

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Herring Industry Board has already a plant in the Stornoway area, and that it might very well be glad of supplies to feed it from the Uist and Barra areas—and would have been glad of them in the last few years? Is it the policy of the Board, as has happened in Shetland, to wait until the Russians come to exploit the local herring fishing industry?

Mr. Stewart

As the hon. Member knows as well as I do, we have made great developments in Stornoway and are proposing to undertake further developments in order to make it a great herring port. In those circumstances, I do not think he has reasonable grounds for complaint.

Mr. MacMillan

On a point of order. I wish to give notice that because of the recurrently unsatisfactory replies which I have been getting for about ten years now, I shall raise this at the earliest possible moment on the Adjournment.

31. Mr. Grimond

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the continued operations of the Soviet herring fleets off the coast of Shetland he will consult with the Herring Industry Board, with a view to it taking steps to revive the Shetland winter herring fishing.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

The Board informs me that in recent years it has considered the possibility of reviving the Shetland winter herring fishing but the response from the fishermen and the difficulty of finding a profitable market for the catch did not encourage it to pursue its inquiries. It would, however, be glad to consider any specific proposals.

Mr. Grimond

While thanking the Joint Under-Secretary for that Answer, may I ask him if he will consider the profitable market that appears to exist in Russia, and will he not open negotiations with the Russians to see if it might not be cheaper from their point of view if we caught the herrings and traded them with the Russians? Or, if the Russians insist on catching the herring themselves, why should they not use the excellent shore facilities that exist in Shetland?

Mr. Stewart

The Board is in touch, I understand, with the Russians, but the real trouble, I am told, is that the Board could not get the local fishermen to take up this fishing again which, pre-First World War, was very profitable.

Mr. G. R. Howard

In view of recent happenings in Norway, can the Joint Under-Secretary for Scotland say that he is satisfied that there has been no infringement of territorial waters on the part of these fishermen? If there have been, are there enough fishery protection vessels to deal with that?

Mr. Stewart

I should require to have notice of that Question.