Peers probe post-Brexit access to UK fisheries to kick off new inquiry into UK-EU deal

The House of Lords EU Environment Sub-Committee has issued a Call for Evidence as its inquiry into provisions in the agreement - including those related to climate change, energy, the environment, fishing, food and agriculture - and where UK-EU relations should go from here kicks off by hearing from the government and fishing regulators tomorrow (Wednesday 13 January from 10.00 a.m.).

The sub-committee will hear from:

At 10.00 a.m.

• Lisa McGuinness, Deputy Director of Compliance, Marine Scotland
• Phil Haslam, Director of Operations, Marine Management Organisation

Likely questions and areas for discussion include:

• What are your key challenges arising from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement reached with the EU?;
• What resources do you have to monitor fishing activity in Scottish and English waters and to enforce the new rules?;
• What resources do you have to ensure UK vessels’ compliance with the rules when they are fishing in EU waters?; and
• What has the industry told you about the new rules? Are the rules well-received, and properly understood?

At 11.00 a.m.

• Victoria Prentis, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Defra
• Neil Hornby, Director of Marine and Fisheries, Defra
• Phil Haslam, Director of Operations, Marine Management Organisation

Likely questions and areas for discussion include:

• How will the Trade and Cooperation Agreement benefit the UK fishing industry?;
• Have you liaised with HMRC and others to make sure that fish exports can get through ports such as Dover quickly and without hindrance?;
• Have Defra and the MMO resolved the catch certificate challenges raised by the fishing industry in October?; and
• Are you taking steps to reinstate international quota swaps or to mitigate the challenges UK fishers will face without them?

The evidence session will be live on Parliament TV.