HC Deb 17 February 1965 vol 706 cc1161-2
4. Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the reasons for the delay in the publication of the Hunter Committee's Report.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. William Ross)

The Committee's first Report was published in July, 1963. There has been no delay in its deliberations and the final Report is expected by about May of this year.

Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

As the Order postponing the ban on the drift netting of salmon was placed only in February, was it not then understood that the Report would be ready by the time the ban was originally supposed to have been lifted?

Mr. Ross

The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that this is a complicated matter and that there are conflicting interests, some being rather controversial. We asked the Hunter Committee to produce an interim report, and this is what it did, and action has to be taken in relation to the interim Report until such time as we get the final Report. There has been no delay.

Back to