HC Deb 08 December 1949 vol 470 cc164-5W
23. Mr. Osborne

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the pre-war quota of foreign-caught fish landed in the country cannot be re-imposed; and if he will further consider the position, in the light of recent heavy landings from British trawlers at Grimsby and Hull, which have gone in large quantities to the fishmeal factories and of the poor wages being earned by trawler crews as a consequence.

Mr. H. Wilson:

No. I have no evidence that such action would be in the interests of the public as a whole; it would, moreover, be contrary to our policy of removing quantitative restrictions from intra-European trade, and also, if such restrictions were applied to foreign-caught fish only, to our trade agreement obligations.