MPs Grill Minister Mark Spencer on UK Fishing Talks
In a significant development, the Minister for Food, Farming, and Fisheries, Rt Hon. Mark Spencer MP, is set to face questioning from the EFRA Committee in an evidence session scheduled for Tuesday, January 23. The focus of the session will be on the outcomes of the latest fisheries negotiations between the United Kingdom and its coastal partners, including the European Union and Norway.
The evidence session is scheduled to take place at 14:30 in Committee Room 6 at the Palace of Westminster and will be broadcast live on Parliamentlive.tv.
Accompanied by senior officials, Minister Mark Spencer will present an introductory overview of the negotiation outcomes, with a specific focus on the talks that occurred in the autumn. The parliamentary committee will scrutinize the negotiation process, delving into the trade-offs that were negotiated and assessing the potential impact on the UK fishing industry in the year 2024.
One of the key areas of inquiry will be the UK's approach to fisheries arrangements with the European Union after June 2026. This date marks the first review of the fisheries provisions outlined in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. MPs aim to gain insights into the government's strategy for access and catch-allocations beyond this critical juncture.
This evidence session comes at a crucial time for the UK fishing industry, as decisions and agreements reached in these negotiations will have lasting implications. The Committee's rigorous examination of the negotiation process and its aftermath will provide valuable insights into the future trajectory of the UK's fishing policies and relationships with neighboring coastal partners.
As stakeholders eagerly await the outcomes and implications of these discussions, the evidence session on Tuesday will offer a closer look at the intricacies of the negotiations and the government's approach to securing a sustainable and prosperous future for the UK fishing industry.
