§ 67. Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will approach the Russian Government with a view to coming to an agreement which will prevent the fouling of fishing grounds off Shetland.
§ Mr. Goronwy Roberts:Following a series of incidents in 1966, the Soviet Ministry of Fisheries gave an assurance to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in December of that year that they had issued instructions prohibiting the discard of used netting, packaging and other waste objects in the sea on fishing grounds and places of anchoring of fishing vessels, particularly in the Fetlar/Skerries area. Since that time no incidents have been brought to my right hon. Friend's attention nor to that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. If there have been further cases my right hon. Friend would be quite prepared, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, to take the matter up again with the Soviet authorities.