HC Deb 03 July 1963 vol 680 cc357-9
8. Mr. Loughlin

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will now institute an inquiry into the circumstances in which H.M.S."Palliser" and the s.t."Milwood" were involved in an incident on the high seas.

Mr. Hay

No, Sir.

Mr. Loughlin

Will not the Minister accept that there is a difference of opinion about what happened in this case? Does he not also recognise that the skipper of the"Palliser" committed on error of judgment? Will he give an assurance that our fishermen can expect the fullest protection in future from the Fishery Protection Squadron?

Mr. Hay

I have seen a number of accounts of the various incidents which occurred. They all seem to correspond basically with the outline which I have given to the hon. Member in answer to earlier Questions. I am not prepared to agree with his suggestion that the captain of H.M.S."Palliser" behaved improperly in any way in the circumstances. As to the future, obviously the task of the Fishery Protection Squadron is to protect the fishing fleet, but it is not always possible to foresee the sort of events that happened in this case and I cannot, therefore, give the absolute assurance for which the hon. Member asks.

Mr. Burden

Will my hon. Friend give an undertaking that Her Majesty's ships will not in any way intervene in any of these incidents in such a manner as to prejudice the position of British fishing vessels and certainly not to take any action that would be instrumental in turning them over to the fishery protection vessels of a foreign Power?

Mr. Hay

No, Sir. The position concerning our Fishery Protection Squadron remains as I have stated in answer to the earlier supplementary question. In this case, it was quite right for the captain of the"Palliser" to take action which would have prevented either serious injury or even loss of life to a number of people.

Mr. Loughlin

Will not the Civil Lord admit that there have been a number of almost identical instances when the skipper of the protection vessel has intervened in such a way as to protect our interests against the Icelandic gunboat? Why could it not have been done on this occasion?

Mr. Hay

No, Sir. The Fishery Protection Squadron does a very good job and needs the support of this House—

Mr. Loughlin

Hear, hear.

Mr. Hay

—in the extremely difficult work that sometimes faces the captains of our ships.