Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stuart C McDonald and Neil Gray

Thursday 21st January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)]

What assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement on Scottish fishing communities.

[Neil Gray (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

What assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement on Scottish fishing communities.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice)]

The trade and co-operation agreement establishes tariff-free trade on fisheries exports to the EU and also establishes a five-and-a-half-year multiannual agreement on access and sharing arrangements for quota. Under the agreement, there are year-on-year transfers of fishing opportunities from EU fleets to the UK fleet. Overall, the EU relinquished 25% of the quota it had previously been allowed to catch in UK waters. There are gains, both in the North sea and in the west of Scotland.