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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the level of the contribution of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone in Europe on (a) economic growth, (b) energy security, (c) food security and (d) coastal security.

Government recognises the significant contribution of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone to economic growth, energy security, food security and coastal resilience, supporting key sectors including fisheries, offshore renewables and other marine industries.

The natural capital accounts define the extent of the UK marine area using the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone boundary and estimate that the annual measurable value of natural capital services provided by the UK Marine and coastal margins habitats was approximately £43 billion in 2022, with an estimated asset value of £272 billion.

Further information on the value of marine and coastal margin ecosystem services relating to a) economic value, b) oil, gas and renewable energy provisioning, c) fish provisioning and d) health and tourism recreation can be found in Table 3 of the Marine and coastal margins natural capital accounts, UK: 2025 (ONS)