The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Dr. Edith Summer-skill):

May I congratulate the hon. and learned Member for St. Ives (Mr. Beeehman) on his ingenuity on getting the Adjournment today, and thank him for his appreciation of the work we do in my Department. We fully appreciate the contribution which the fishermen are making, and I think the hon. Member will agree that whenever they ask for help or advice we have been only too willing to serve them. He was quite right when he said that the Fund was originally introduced in order to equalise the transport charges which the fish trade would be called upon to bear. I expect he also appreciates that by imposing this levy we are helping the producer, who is thereby enabled to enjoy the maximum price for his fish. If the levy were not imposed, it might be that the first-hand merchant might have to reduce the amount he pays to the fisherman in order to pay for transport. We have found that this scheme has worked very well, but I must confess that I think he is under a misapprehension so far as the proceeds of this Fund are concerned. I think he suggested that perhaps it was being administered in such a way that the income is greater than the expenditure.