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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the opportunities available for the fishing industry in the South West after the UK leaves the EU.

On leaving the EU, the UK will under international law become an independent coastal state with responsibility for controlling and managing its Exclusive Economic Zone. This will provide an opportunity to reach new fairer agreements on access and quota arrangements which will benefit West Country fishermen. .