§ 37. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent his Department was consulted before the transfer to Japan of four-ninths of the British whale quota, to take effect after the 1961–62 whaling season; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of this new situation.
The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. W. M. F. Vane)The need to transfer part of the United Kingdom quota for pelagic whaling arises from the agreement by a British firm to sell an expedition to a Japanese company at the end of the present season in the Antarctic. My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland were consulted as regards both the sale and the proportion of quota to be transferred. The sale of this expedition will not change our policy, which remains to seek inter-international agreement on effective action to conserve whale stocks, with due regard to the interests of our own industry.