§ Mr. Marshallasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take regarding the membership of the White Fish Authority and the Herring Industry Board.
§ Mr. SoamesMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I were hoping to be able to announce our intentions in this matter before the end of this year when all but one of the existing appointments expire. However, we had not completed our plans for the future before the recent illness of the Chairman of the White Fish Authority, which we much regret and we wish to discuss the matter with him before reaching our decisions. We have therefore invited the present members of these two bodies and of the Authority's Committee for Scotland and Northern Ireland to continue in office for a further period of six months until 30th June, and I am pleased to say that they have agreed.