§ Captain WARINGasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that inconvenience is being caused through the delay in issuing the Report of the Committee which is considering the question of loans to fishermen; will he say on whom the blame for the delay primarily rests, and will he in future see that no one is appointed to sit on Departmental Committees who is incapable of carrying through the work in a reasonable time; whether any of the members of this Committee 1871W are in receipt of any salary or moneys from a public source, and, if so, whether time can be given for a discussion on their salaries, in view of the amount of time taken in dealing with the work entrusted to them; will he state when this Committee held their first meeting, how long is it since they completed taking evidence, and on what date they held their last meeting; and will he take steps to see that they shall now hold meetings from day to day until the Report is issued?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe first meeting of the Committee was held on the 16th of January, 1912, the last meeting on the 17th May, 1913. The last witness was heard in May, 1913. I fully appreciate that it is desirable that the Committee should report at an early date, and I am informed that they have arranged to meet to-day for a final consideration of the Report, the bulk of which is already in print. In view of the extent and importance of the subjects remitted for inquiry, I cannot assent to the suggestion that blame for delay is attributable to any member of the Committee, whether in receipt of official salary for other duties or not, nor can I agree that any special allowance of time for discussion of the matter is required.