§ Mr. Cleggasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will have talks with the White Fish Authority about the possible effects of oil and detergents on the hake and other fish breeding grounds in the Clyde and elsewhere.
§ Mr. RossThe advice of my scientists is that the release of oil and the subsequent use of detergents, even in the very large quantities that occurred recently, are unlikely to have any appreciable effect on marine species except those shellfish which live on or near beaches where oil is deposited. Nursery grounds for hake and other fish in the Clyde and elsewhere off the Scottish coasts have not been affected, and I see no reason for special consultation with the White Fish Authority.