Fishery Board for Scotland.

Part of Civil Estimates and Supplementary Estimate, 1934. – in the House of Commons at on 20 July 1934.

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Photo of Mr Godfrey Collins Mr Godfrey Collins , Greenock

This Vote enables the Committee to discuss a large number of questions, and it may be for the general convenience if I direct my first remarks to the Russian contract. On several occasions during 'the last few weeks questions have been put to me on this point, and the Government have been pressed to grant loans to individual curers so that this contract might be carried through. This contract was entered into—or is about to be entered into —between the Russian Government and the Co-operative Wholesale Society, the Co-operative Wholesale Society then entering into a contract with the British Herring Trade Association, and in view of the corporate character of that contract it is the view of the Government that the individual curers should make such arrangements among themselves as would enable the association, on behalf of its members, to fulfil the terms of the contract with the Co-operative Wholesale Society. I took occasion to inform the members of the British Herring Trade Association of that view, and it was found that a particular bank in Scotland was willing to grant loans not to individual curers but to the British Herring Trade Association to enable the work to be carried through. In other words, the banking and business community took the same view of the matter as the Government. At a later stage I made it very clear, through the public Press, that no loan to individual curers would be entertained by any party either in the Government or otherwise.

I am sure the Committee will be glad to hear that this very morning in response to inquiry, a telephone message has reached the Scottish Office from the Secretary of the British Herring Trade Association in Aberdeen, stating that though the contract between the Cooperative Wholesale Society is not yet definitely adjusted, no difficulty was expected, and also that agreements between the Association and the individual curers had been received by the British Herring Trade Association from the great majority of the Fraserburgh and the Peterhead curers and that the two outstanding curers are both expected to come in. Information from the distant areas further north had not yet been received, but the secretary of the Herring Trade Association did not apprehend many refusals. I am sure the Committee will be glad to hear from that telephone message that this contract is on the point of being signed, and that the difficulties which have cropped up, real difficulties, though, to quote the exact words of the message, "not yet definitely adjusted" are expected to be overcome. That shows that this long drawn out controversy between the individual curers and the British Herring Trade Association and the Government is on the point of being adjusted and that this contract will shortly be signed. I know that some hon. Members have taken great exception to the attitude of the Government in this matter, but in view of the successful conclusion of this contract between the Cooperative Wholesale Society and the British Herring Trade Association I think they are to be congratulated on facing the realities of the situation in coming together and concluding a contract which will naturally be in the interests of the fishermen themselves.