asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further steps are being taken to obtain better herring quotas for Scottish fishermen and to restrict industrial fishing; and if he will make a statement.

Quotas from North Sea herring and herring to the west of Scotland to the end of 1976 were agreed by majority votes at the recent meeting of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission. The former represents an increase from 3·6 per cent. to 6·3 per cent. of the total international catch, and the latter quota remains at 53 per cent. We shall seek to negotiate further improvements next summer, consistent with the need to allow fish stocks to recover.United Kingdom proposals for measures to control industrial fishing will be discussed at a special meeting of the commission in November.