§ Mr. RANKINasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with the object of providing employment as well as food for the families of the unemployed, he has considered, or will consider, the desirability of stimulating the development of fishing along as many points of the coast as possible near to industrial centres?
§ Major ELLIOTDevelopment of inshore fishing for commercial purposes does not, I fear, afford great scope for providing employment. I am aware, however, of a case reported in the Press of a group of 60 unemployed men at Hebburn who have formed a boat club and fish in groups of nine in a reconditioned lifeboat given them by the Tyne-side Social Council. It is reported that during last season they brought in enough fish to keep all their families in food for some considerable time. I am in full sympathy with such experiments and am in touch with the National Council of Social Service in the matter.