§ 16. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what investigations are taking place in Scotland as to the practicability of fishing in the sea with a combination of electrodes and a suction pipe instead of using nets.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithReports from overseas do not suggest that experiments in Scottish conditions would be fruitful.
§ Sir J. GilmourWould my hon. Friend agree that indiscriminate "Hoovering" of the sea could be very dangerous to the fishing industry but that on the other hand in view of the possibility of the method being used in British waters if we did not do some research ourselves we would not be in a position to argue the toss as to whether it should or should not be allowed?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithRegarding experiments overseas, there has been no confirmation that they have been successful and certainly different conditions in Scottish and British waters may mean that they may not be necessarily appropriate. So long as this was just "sook" it might be all right, but "sook and blaw" might be dangerous.