Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much UK Overseas Territories Blue Belt programme funding was spent with (1) the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, (2) the Marine Management Organisation, and (3) UK Overseas Territory governments, in the financial years (a) 2016–17, and (b) 2017–18.

During 2016-17 the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) had a total spend of £803,064; the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) had a total spend of £194,548 and £300,000 was spent by Ascension Island Government. During 2017-18 a total of £1,881,000 was spent by CEFAS, £875,000 by the MMO; £300,00 spent by Ascension Island Government; £725,000 by the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration; £39,500 spend by the St Helena Government; £140,000 by Tristan da Cunha Government; and £52,500 spent by the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.

In both periods, up to £500,000 per year was available to all Territories through the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund (also known as Darwin Plus) for bespoke marine projects.