Herring (Hansard, 24 March 1959)

§ 30. Mr. Grimond
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the arrangements, prices, etc., for the coming herring season in the North and on the prospects of finding continental markets.

§ Lord John Hope
The Herring Industry Board has submitted for approval a draft rule prescribing minimum prices for the year beginning on 1st May. My right hon. Friends are considering the rule along with the objections lodged to it and it is hoped that a decision will be reached shortly. As regards the latter part in the Question, the general problem n recent years has been to supply enough herring to our continental customers.

§ Mr. Grimond
If this is the case, is not it very important indeed to keep up the strength of the herring fleets? Also, will the Minister, when considering giving approval to this rule, bear in mind that the Herring Board must offer a price, even for fishmeal, which renders it profitable to fish for herring?

§ Lord John Hope
Yes, Sir. The hon. Gentleman can rest assured that all relevant considerations, including that one, will be taken into account.

§ Mrs. Mann
May I ask the hon. Gentleman if we may take it that, now he has answered Questions on agriculture, eggs and fishing, the Scottish Office are now accepting these Questions and not passing them on to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food?

§ Lord John Hope
The hon. Lady can accept the fact that the Scottish Office has accepted Questions which have been answered by Scottish Office Ministers. She can certainly do that.

§ 31. Mr. Grimond
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will establish contact with the Russian fleets off Shetland with a view to persuading them to use local facilities and to preventing the fouling of seine netting grounds by their debris; and if he will request the Herring Industry l3oard to explore the market in Russia for herring caught in Shetland waters.

§ Lord John Hope
I understand that the Russians are already making considerable use of local facilities at Lerwick. As regards the second part of the Question, my right hon. Friend is taking steps in consultation with the Admiralty to get into touch with the Russian vessels.
On the last part of the Question, in recent years the problem has been to find enough suitable herring to fulfil the Russian contract and last year about half the herring actually supplied came from Shetland waters.

§ Mr. Grimond
May I ask why the Scottish Office is so timid about approaching the Russians, who have been lying off the coast of Shetland for years and yet apparently only now is serious contact being established with them? It is true that occasionally they land, but we should be delighted to offer them more facilities. They might bring employment, they might bring money. Of course, we should like to get rid of their debris as soon as possible, but we cannot help thinking that there must be an outlet for winter herring, which so far the people of Shetland have not been able to tap, and we should like the support of the Scottish Office in finding out whether we cannot explore these markets further.

§ Lord John Hope
I had hoped that my Answer would reassure the hon. Gentleman. As regards timidity, my answer directly encouraged the Russians to come to the hon. Gentleman's constituency. That seems to me to be the reverse of timid.