§ Sir G. STRICKLANDasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the proportion to the value of the trade in foreign and British hands, respectively, of the fees levied for services to the Falkland whale fishery, and what is the total of the accumulated fund from such fees; is he aware that the fees are very moderate; and is he prepared to increase them or to take other steps that would facilitate the extension of the Depen- 376W dencies Research and Development Fund to extending its inquiries as to the preservation of other large mammals besides whales?
§ Mr. AMERYThe export duties referred to in the first part of my hon. Friend's question are levied on a sliding scale varying with the price of whale 'oil, and averaged about 3s. 6d. per ton, or, roughly, ½ per cent, on last year's prices. In view of the speculative nature of the industry, it would be imprudent to contemplate any increase of the rates in present circumstances. I have not got the precise proportions of the trade passing through British and foreign hands respectively, but, about two-thirds of the trade is handled by Norwegian firms.
The total standing to the credit of the Research and Development Fund on the 31st May, 1926, was £260,000, against which there are heavy outstanding liabilities.
As regards the last part of the question, the fund is raised solely for the benefit of the Dependencies whence it is derived. The committee on whose advice it is administered was constituted to study the needs of the particular region, and it is not practicable to extend their scope to work on behalf of other areas or to deal with totally different types of mammals.