§ Captain Pluggeasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the dumping of large cargoes of sprats back into the sea owing to the inability of those concerned to obtain licences to export the fish; and for what reasons the export of fish is still forbidden to certain countries?
§ Mr. StanleyI cannot accept the implication contained in the first part of the question. Licences have been freely granted for the export of sprats ever since the early days of export control. The export of fish is not forbidden to any country, but a system of control by licence is necessary in order to ensure home supplies and to prevent supplies reaching the enemy.