§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to extend the fishing limits around Scotland or take other measures to conserve stocks and protect the rights of local fishermen in the absence of international agreement about the matter at the forthcoming conference.
§ Mr. William RossIt is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to work at the Law of the Sea Conference for international agreement on a convention which includes 200 mile exclusive economic zones within which the coastal State would have control over fisheries. Should agreement not be reached at the next session of the Conference and should the interests of our fishermen then be at risk the Government will take steps to safeguard them. Meanwhile, the Government will continue to promote further measures to conserve the stocks around our coasts.