Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her policy position is on current discussions at the World Trade Organisation on reducing fishing and agriculture subsidies; and if she will make a statement.

The United Kingdom is engaged in multilateral negotiations on agriculture through the WTO’s Committee on Agriculture Special Session. The UK is committed to a meaningful outcome on domestic support consistent with the development of the UK’s independent agricultural policies.

At the WTO Informal Ministerial Gathering on the 29th January 2021, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade made a clear statement that the UK believes it is imperative that the WTO delivers on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14.6 mandate, that will help protect the world’s fish stocks and end harmful fisheries subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overcapacity, and overfishing.