§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate, by local government area, the anticipated cost of revenue to Scottish local authorities through the abolition of rates on salmon fishing.
§ Mr. LangThe best estimates available of the maximum losses of income are:
Total cost of revenue to authorities £000 Borders 81 Central 7 Dumfries and Galloway 52 Fife 0 Grampian 265 Highland 146 Lothian 0 Strathclyde 16 Tayside 199 Orkney 0 Shetland 0 Western Isles 15 Scotland 781
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to implement the recommendations of the Salmon Advisory Committee on the need for more accurate reports on salmon catches.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe recommendations made in the salmon advisory committee's report "Information on the status of salmon stocks" are still being considered.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish salmon proprietors have failed to report catch returns in each of the past five years; and if he will name those who have been in default on more than one occasion.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe number of proprietors (and occupiers) of salmon fisheries who failed to provide catch returns for the years 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 are as follows. Accurate information for 1983 is not available. It is not my intention to name those individuals who have not provided catch returns.
1984 1985 1986 1987 Number of catch returns not provided 118 214 113 103
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the salmon proprietors who failed to register catch returns for 1987.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is to be taken against salmon proprietors who failed to register catch returns for 1987 under the Salmon and Fresh Water Fisheries Act 1951.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy right hon. and learned Friend is reviewing the administrative arrangements for obtaining salmon catch statistics with a view to improving the rate of return of forms issued.