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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to provide grant funding to support the modernisation of the fishing industry.

Decisions on future funding for the fishing industry will be taken through the Spending Review processes and in light of Government priorities, including food security, protecting nature and growing the economy.

Food security is national security, and a sustainable fishing industry is an important part of that. Decisions on future funding for the fishing industry will be taken through the Spending Review processes. Discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing the industry over the last two months have been helpful in gaining an understanding of what other types of support or Government action may be appropriate. These discussions will continue.