§ Sir Hector MonroI beg to move amendment No. 42, in page 8, line 41, leave out 'and'.
Mr. Deputy SpeakerWith this, it will be convenient to discuss Government amendments Nos. 43, 78 and 79.
§ Sir Hector MonroIt is not often that a Minister has a chance to move an amendment affecting only his own constituency, but that is what I intend to do. The simple story is that the mouth of the Tweed is in England, and most of the river is in Scotland, but the Tweed Commissioners look after the whole river. With the Border Esk, however, which runs into the Solway, the mouth is in England and the rest of the river is in Scotland, but there has been a difficulty.
The bailiffs who are the responsibility of the National Rivers Authority and are managing the river have not been able to take all the action they have wanted to take when operating in Scotland. When Scottish poachers are running, the bailiffs have had to stop once they have left the river. If we pass the amendment, the bailiffs could follow them up the banks to their motor cars and take appropriate action.
This will be a helpful opportunity to improve the policing of the river, which is already well known for its excellent salmon, sea trout and brown trout fishing, at moderate cost.
Amendment agreed to.
941 Amendment made: No. 43, in page 9, line 3, at end insert 'and
(c) in the case of sections 31 to 34 and 36(2) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 as applied by section 39(1B) of that Act, so much of the catchment area of the River Esk as is situated in Scotland,'.—[Sir Hector Monro.]