asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the objections which the salmon farmers' sector of the salmon trade has made to a system of salmon tagging.

Salmon farmers have said that they are generally opposed to the idea of tagging all Atlantic salmon, including farmed salmon, particularly in view of the difficulties which they see arising over tagging salmon taken from sea cages and the burden they consider it would place on their industry in terms of additional costs and decreased efficiency.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he has to reduce the present levels of salmon and sea trout theft by poaching;(2) what practical problems need to be overcome before a system of salmon tagging is introduced; and if he will make a statement.

The taking of wild salmon and sea trout by illegal means is a matter to which the Government have given a great deal of attention, including a very thorough examination of the possibilities of controlling salmon sales by a tagging scheme. This has involved discussions with the interested parties which have identified particular difficulties over the successful implementation of such a scheme, including the control of imports, the handling of our own farmed salmon and

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total expenditure on the common agricultural policy for each year since 1973