asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will decontrol mackerel in this country, in order to ensure that the home market will be supplied.

I am not aware of any grounds for removing the controlled price of mackerel. The greater proportion of the total quantity of mackerel landed is consumed in the home market and the controlled price here is considerably higher than the actual price realised for the limited quantities which are exported.

Does the Minister mean to say that he and his advisers are not aware that the British Government has decontrolled mackerel in England and as a result the mackerel is obtaining a much higher price in that country and that unless some action is taken in this country the merchants will be more inclined to sell the fish to England than to the home market?

The average price realised in the wholesale trade on the export of mackerel to Great Britain is below the price prevailing in this country.

Not at all.