§ Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the increase in the numbers of grey seals in the small isles of the Outer Hebrides and the consequent damage to local fish stocks, already seriously depleted by widespread and frequent illegal trawling, and in the light of the conclusions of the Home Department's scientific expert in this field, Dr. Bennet B. Rae, and his comments in 53W Scottish Fisheries Bulletin No. 12 regarding the urgent need to cull seals to save fish stocks and preserve the grey seals own colonies from over-population and starvation, he will permit during the next appropriate period, covered by the Grey Seals Protection Act, 1932, the limited culling of seals under supervised, humane conditions in the Western Isles.
§ Mr. NobleThe annual Orders made in recent years suspending the close season for grey seals off parts of the Scottish Coast have, in agreement with the Nature Conservancy, not applied to the Western Isles. I shall, however, consider the matter further in consultation with the Conservancy.