§ Mr. IRVINGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture when the Board will publish the Annual Reports on Sea Fisheries for the years 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918; and why it is the Board are unable to publish these Reports regularly, seeing that the Central Fisheries Departments for Scotland and Ireland are able to do so?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe Report for the year 1914 was published in 1915. A Report covering the years 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918 is now in course of preparation, and it is hoped will be published in the spring or summer of this year. The non-publication of these annual Reports during the War was due to the fact that 75 per cent. of the normal staff of the Fisheries Division were either on active service or seconded for war-time duties on the coast, or lent to other Departments. In view of the pressure of important work upon the remaining staff, it was decided to suspend the publication of these Reports during the War period.