Mr. DOYLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he will give the information and statistics upon which is based the statement that the steam-trawler fleets are not generally being run at a loss; whether the Grimsby, Hull, Aberdeen and Fleetwood vessels have been paying their way this summer; and, if so, will he state the figures upon which he bases this fact?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Buckingham (Captain Bowyer) on the 19th ult., referred to Admiralty trawlers, and not to the steam-trawler fleets generally, and was based upon the accounts received from the managers. I have not access to the accounts of private owners, and cannot, therefore, say whether privately owned vessels fishing from Grimsby, Hull, Aberdeen and Fleetwood have paid their way or not.