§ Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will now ask all those who supplied him with commercially confidential information during his inquiry into the effect of the north-east drift net fishery whether they have any objection to its publication;
(2) where, and in what form, the statistics used in his inquiry into the effect on salmon stocks of the north-east drift net fishery have already been published, where these are not commerically confidential.
§ Mr. GummerThe basic statistical information used in the internal report is catch data which has appeared in tabular form in a number of publications, in particular the booklet "Taking Stock" published in 1974 by the Association of River Authorities—a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House—the annual reports published by the Northumbrian and Yorkshire water authorities, the booklet "Scottish Salmon Catch Statistics 1952–1981," produced by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, and subsequent statistical reports produced by the same Department, all of which are available in the Library of the House.
The internal report also drew on statistical data appearing in "Fisheries Research Technical Report No. 67", published by my Department in 1982, on the effects 437W of the English north-east salmon fisheries on Scottish salmon catches. A copy of this report has already been placed in the Library of the House.
Other information appearing in the report was provided on the clear understanding that it would remain confidential. Moreover, the report involves internal advice to Ministers of a kind which it is not the normal practice to publish.