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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help increase seafood processing capacity.

Leaving the EU presents opportunities for the whole seafood sector across the UK, to supply consumers’ growing demand for sustainable, resource-efficient and nutritious food.

As at 31 March the UK has committed to spend £11.3 million from the 2014-2020 European Marine and Fisheries Fund to support the seafood processing sector, with £4.9 million already spent.

Seafood 2040 is an industry-led framework of 25 recommendations, which sets out the vision for the seafood supply chain in England. A number of these recommendations look to deliver improved infrastructure, which will contribute to increasing seafood processing capacity. The Scottish Government is responsible for the Scottish seafood processing sector.