MP attacks Ministers for delaying report into failing MMO

Last week Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, challenged the Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague MP, over why Ministers at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs continue to delay a report into the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

The MMO is failing local fishers in Plymouth and across the South West, by producing questionable data, which is potentially extremely inaccurate and poorly managed. Yet, despite an original publication date of early 2014, which was then delayed till then end of 2014, in 2015 there is still no report.

Speaking in Business Questions on Thursday, Ms Seabeck told Mr Hague that MP’s from across the House of Commons are calling for an independent investigation, as clearly somebody is hiding something.

Ms Seabeck said: “I want to see the Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, come the House of Commons and explain why the triennial review for the Marine Management Organisation - which closed in October 2013, with publication due in early 2014, and since has been delayed till the end of 2014 - has still not been published?

This is the subject of a cross-party request for an investigation into the quality of data, and fishers in my constituency are being affected. Will the Leader of the House please explain what the Department for environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Government are hiding?”

Mr Hague told Ms Seabeck that he will pass her concerns on to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, and she has since tabled further questions to find out what is happening to this review and when it is to be published.