§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many convictions have been obtained, by sheriff court, under the monofilament banning order 1986; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 26 October 1987]: The order in question is the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986. Precise figures are not available and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The indications are, however, that the number of cases is very small. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has reported only one case under the order which resulted in a conviction.