§ 66. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the annual allocation for fish exports from Britain to France includes £10,000 for periwinkles for which in France there is small demand or sale; that this diminishes the permitted allocation for the export from Britain of monk fish for which there is in France a large demand and sale; and if he will negotiate with the French Government with a view to rectifying this anomaly before the next relevant Franco-Britain Trade Agreement is entered into.
§ Mr. MackesonThe French import quota for fresh and frozen fish, which applies to monk fish, is quite separate from the quota for periwinkles, and its size is not affected by the existence of the8W periwinkle quota. I am not aware that the quota for periwinkles is too large, especially at the present time when licences under it are being issued on a reduced scale because of the French payments difficulties. I can assure the hon. and learned Member that further efforts will be made to secure increased opportunities for exports of fish to France in future negotiations.