THE EARL OF STRADBROKEMy Lords, I beg leave to put the Question that stands on the Paper in my name—viz.: To ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact, according to evidence given before the Ichthyological Committee, that a steam trawler having a spread of net seventy-five feet broad, and working for fifteen hours a day during 280 working days, and trawling over each station once a month, would only be able to cover an area equivalent to about seventeen square miles, and that the trawlable area of the North Sea is approximately 152,000 miles, facilities will be given by the Treasury to enable the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to carry out such investigations as will enable them to adequately trawl over the area of the North Sea, which will be impossible if only one vessel were employed.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (EARL CARRINGTON)In reply to my noble friend 1135 I have to state that I am unfortunately at the present moment not in a position to be able to answer the somewhat intricate Question he has placed upon the Paper. I might add that in the present state of uncertainty it is rather difficult to know what the Treasury will do or will not do, but I am in communication with that Department on the subject, and I hope 1136 to be in a position shortly to give an answer which will be satisfactory to my noble friend.
§ House adjourned at Three o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.