§ 41. Mr. de Freitasasked the Prime Minister whether the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, The First Lord of the Admiralty and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs have completed their inquiries into providing additional naval protection for trawlers fishing near the territorial waters of foreign countries.
§ The Prime MinisterThe arrangements for the deployment of ships for fishery protection are kept under continual review.
§ Mr. de FreitasHas not the time come when the protection should be provided by ships under international control? In order to lessen opportunities of conflict between countries such as that which arose in the recent Danish incident, will the Prime Minister consider calling a conference of the countries concerned with a view to establishing such a patrol under international auspices?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a quite different point of view. I was asked whether we are considering the best method of protecting our own ships. That is going on. Whether we should hand all this over to some international body is an entirely different question and much wider than I could deal with in answer to a supplementary question.
§ Lady TweedsmuirWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the fishing industry in Scotland, particularly in Aberdeen. being greatly concerned about the "Red Crusader" incident, has expressed the view that additional protection should be afforded particularly around the Faroes, and does not he think that it might be wise to have consultations with foreign countries on a method of enforcement of the fishing limits?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, that may well come out at the inquiry which is 199 now, I hope, amicably arranged to take place between the Danish Government and ourselves. In fact, in this particular case the naval protection was available.