Nationalists and Tories band together against Labour over fishing funding

Scottish Conservative MSPs agreed to back a motion by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon to condemn the UK Government’s “damaging” decision on how much money Scotland got from its fishing and coastal growth fund.

This fund is worth £360 million and replaces EU funding that was lost after Brexit.

However, rather than deciding Scotland’s allocation based on the size of its fishing industry, it has been calculated using the Barnett formula, which is based on population size.

This means Scotland will only receive £28m, just 7.78 per cent of the overall fund, despite accounting for over 60 per cent of the UK’s fishing capacity and seafood exports. On top of this, more than 75 per cent of all UK quotas are landed by Scottish vessels.

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Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Gougeon said: “Members will be aware of a recent UK Government announcement to allocate £28m of the £360m coastal growth fund, which is nothing short of insulting to our vital industry.

“The UK Government must reconsider this approach and agree a way forward which treats communities with the respect they deserve.

“Scotland accounts for 60 per cent of the UK’s fishing capacity - to give Scotland 7.78 per cent of the fund confirms they simply don’t care about our fishing industry.”

Ms Gougeon told MSPs she had written to UK ministers outlining her concerns, but has not received a reply.

Tim Eagle MSP, the Scottish Conservatives’ fishing spokesman, added: “The arithmetic speaks for itself. The allocation is not just inadequate - it is fundamentally unfair.

“At the moment £28m to support our coastal communities, renew fleets, back innovation, and invest in the next generation of fishermen, does not come close enough.

“Perhaps Labour colleagues today will bring us some good news that Westminster has heard Scotland’s call and return a better, fairer offer.”

Mr Eagle had proposed an amendment to Ms Gougeon’s motion to force the parliament to oppose the proposed Moray Firth FLOW-Park, which the Scottish Conservatives say “will have a negative impact on the local fishing sector and for which plans have received significant and widespread opposition”. However this was voted down by 82 votes to 31.

Scottish Labour tried to defend the UK Government during the debate, instead telling the Scottish Government they should have negotiated better with their bosses in Westminster.

Rhoda Grant MSP, the party’s rural affairs spokeswoman, said: “The Scottish Government has used this debate to complain about the allocation of the fishing and coastal growth fund, but it was devolved at their request.

“When making this request the only mechanism was through the Barnett formula so they knew the proportion of the fund in full knowledge of the larger fishing industry.

“That should have been looked at and they should have spoken to the UK Government and at least tried to negotiate a different mechanism before agreeing to have the funding devolved.”

Ms Gougeon’s motion condemning the actions of the Labour UK Government was passed by 94 votes to 23.