asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when the promised White Paper on fisheries will be published.

Work has already commenced in my Department on the preparation of this White Paper but I am not in a position at this stage to give a definite date for its publication. However, the aim is to have it published during the course of this year.

Can the Minister indicate what the paper is likely to cover?

It will cover all aspects of fishing, including production, processing and marketing. By the way, these have been dealt with in other documents and it is a question of co-ordinating the work already done.

We should like to get an indication of the date on which the paper will be issued. The Minister is well aware that this has been discussed widely already.

In the normal course a White Paper would take a long time to be prepared and issued. This one will be expedited, and I am talking hopefully when I forecast the next six to 12 months.