§ Lady Saltoun of AbernethyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider making such additional finance and manpower available to DAFS freshwater fisheries laboratory at Faskally, Pitlochry, as would enable it to conduct its research into salmon behaviour without depending on private netting interests for facilities.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Glenarthur)No, my Lords, the present arrangements are felt to operate satisfactorily.
§ Lady Saltoun of AbernethyMy Lords, do the Government really believe that any conclusions the laboratory may come to as to the reasons for the decline in salmon stocks can possibly be totally unbiased as long as they are obliged to rely on private netsmen for the hire or purchase of facilities necessary to their research?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lady that of course the scientists who undertake this work are thoroughly objective in all that they do. The purchase and operation of nets by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is simply not an economically viable option.