§ Mr. James Johnsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that the mother ship "Miranda" and the Fishery Protection Squadron work in close liaison with the British deep sea trawling fleet from Hull and Grimsby, particularly when British vessels are off the Norwegian coast and thus avoid dependence upon foreign services for medical assistance and welfare of British crews.
§ Mr. NobleI have been asked to reply.
In accordance with recommendation 4 of the Holland-Martin Report the "Miranda" will be deployed this winter off the north-west coast of Iceland. Patrols off the Norwegian coast are included in the programme of H.M. ships allocated for fishery protection duties during 1971; while in the area H.M. ships will as in previous years also be available to provide assistance to the British trawling fleet. There are inevitably occasions when foreign medical and other services have to be used by British trawlers just as British services are available to foreign fishermen.