§ 31. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a report on the activities during the last six months of Royal Navy protection vessels, in Icelandic waters, indicating the number of ships and men engaged in these operations, the cost and the results achieved to date.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing)Until a Fishery Agreement was reached in March between Her Majesty's Government and the Icelandic Government, a patrol of two of Her Majesty's ships, each with a crew of about 200, was maintained outside 12 miles off Iceland. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has recently thanked my right hon. and noble Friend the First Lord for all the help and protection given to British trawlers during this period by naval vessels. During the six months ending 31st March, 1961, expenditure on fuel, in addition to normal consumption, and on the maintenance of a replenishment tanker for the patrol, amounted to about £200,000.
§ Mr. HughesCan the Civil Lord say whether these activities have done anything to resolve the conflict of interest between Britain and Iceland and the other European maritime countries? Instead of spending money in this way, 235 would it not be more practical for Her Majesty's Government to realise that fishing is Iceland's only industry and to invite the maritime nations of Europe to give financial aid to Iceland to found alternative industries?
§ Mr. Orr-EwingI think that the trawlers have been very thankful on numerous occasions for the help that they have had from the Royal Navy. I think that the tolerant way in which we approached this duty has helped in the settlement which has been achieved.