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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department has to expand the Quota Application Mechanism from 2027 onwards, and what assessment it has made of the potential benefits of allocating a greater proportion of England's fishing quota through this merit-based approach.

The Quota Application Mechanism (QAM) has been trialled since 2024 as a competitive approach to allocating quota against environmental, social and economic criteria. The scheme has been developed each year, including further planned changes for 2027 to strengthen the assessment of environmental benefits and reward innovation and sustainability.

We will continue to assess the effectiveness and future role of QAM beyond 2027, including the potential for a greater proportion of English quota to be allocated through the mechanism. This will take account of the potential for QAM to support improved environmental, social and economic outcomes, alongside the operational needs of the fishing industry and the effective management and utilisation of quota.