Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether companies with a record of criminal activity will be eligible to receive compensation under a future funding package for the fishing industry.

Details of eligibility criteria for the fisheries support scheme will be announced in the coming weeks. Defra will ensure that necessary checks and procedures are in place to minimise the risk of fraud. Seafood firms and individuals convicted of fraud in the context of fisheries funding schemes have previously been ineligible to access other financial support made available to the sector.