§ MR. IRVINGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Fish Food Committee carried on any experiments into the preservation of fish by canning, or by brine-freezing process, or any oilier method; what was the approximate cost of these experiments; how many tons of fish wore thus preserved by the Fish Food Committee; and what quantity of this fish was subsequently sold to the public or otherwise disposed of?
Sir A. BOSCAWENSome preliminary experiments in connection with fish canning have been conducted by Dr.1814W James Johnstone by permission of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Committee. The cost of these experiments was defrayed for the first few months out of the funds of the Fish Food Committee, and subsequently out of a grant made by the Development Commissioners. Dr. Johnstone was paid at the rate of £500 a year for Ins part-time services. Owing to the facilities kindly afforded by certain Canning Companies, and by the authorities of the Universities, of Liverpool and Leeds, the incidental expenses have been insignificant. The work commenced in May, 1918, and is still proceeding. An assistant to Dr. Johnstone was appointed in March last at a salary of £150 a year. Some account of Dr. Johnstone's work will be found in the report for 1918 of the Lancashire and Western Sea. Fisheries Laboratory. Experiments in connection with brine-freezing have been conducted for some time past under the direction of the Fish Preservation Committee of the Food Investigation Board of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. I am informed that a report on this work is in preparation and will be issued shortly by the Food Investigation Board.
§ Mr. IRVINGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Fish Food Committee ever got beyond the experimental stage in their efforts to preserve fresh fish by any method not previously employed by the fish-curing trade in this country?