Fisheries Policy
Debate between Sarah Wollaston and Iain Wright(9 years ago)
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Dr Wollaston
Does the hon. Gentleman acknowledge, though, that there is a value attached to these quotas, and that there should be full compensation if they are removed unilaterally? As my hon. Friend the Member for South East Cornwall (Mrs Murray) said, we need to recognise that the bulk of the fish on our plates must come from the large fleet.
Mr Wright
The hon. Lady makes a really important point. This is not an easy matter to solve, and successive Governments have struggled with it, although the Minister has gone some way towards addressing it. The hon. Lady is right that the quota allocation has a value and can be classed as an asset on the balance sheet, so there would need to be some sort of legal compensation if it changed. I fully recognise that it is a complex issue, but I am trying to represent my constituents, who are suffering deeply because the allocation of quota is incredibly unfair.