Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 December 1957.
Mr David Robertson
, Caithness and Sutherland
12:00,
10 December 1957
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he authorised the letter of 23rd August addressed to the Secretary of Scottish Inshore White Fish Producers' Association Limited. Aberdeen, by the Scottish Home Department, acknowledging that legislation should be introduced to consolidate the Fisheries Acts and bring them up to date and expressing the view that other demands on the time of parliamentary draftsmen make it unlikely that consolidation could be undertaken in the near future.
Hon. John Maclay
, Renfrewshire West
I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen. South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 18th November.
Mr David Robertson
, Caithness and Sutherland
I am unaware of that Answer; but may I ask my right hon. Friend whether anyone has noticed the congestion in this place which would bring about the situation referred to in my Question? If there is a shortage of Parliamentary draftsmen, have not senior draftsmen in the service of the Government the right to employ Parliamentary draftsmen from outside and pay them an adequate fee?
Hon. John Maclay
, Renfrewshire West
The position is that a number of consolidation propositions are being considered at the moment; it is very technical work. As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South, the task of consolidation of these Acts would be a formidable one which would certainly take some time. I am, however, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the question of consolidating the Fisheries Acts.
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