Speeches by Hardy.

“On the changes that we are looking to prescribe, that goes back to the question on marine spatial prioritisation. I am pleased you have mentioned that because it highlights even within the Committee the different tensions when it comes to managing the oceans. In the marine spatial prioritisation, we have the fishing co…”

“At this moment, no, because we do not know where we will put MPAs in the future and where we have got to at this stage of marine spatial prioritisation. That would be impossible to quantify at this moment. However, even though I sit here as the marine conservationist, if you like, I still talk to—”

“Of course. I still talk to the fishing community as well. We still have those conversations to see how we can best manage it. There is a spatial squeeze. There is no getting around it. That is a challenge and that is why we need to think about it strategically. [Interruption.]”

“In terms of new proposals for HPMAs? So that I have understood, is that about designating new HPMAs?”

“Designating new ones, okay. Under the MPA review, we are looking at all of them and HPMAs are included in that, but at the moment, in that review, we are not considering designating new HPMAs. It is looking at whether the things we have are in the right place. Also, importantly, some of the HPMAs have not had all of th…”

“To be clear, going back to spatial squeeze and all the concerns around that, the fishing community is fully represented in all of those conversations around spatial squeeze by the Minister for fisheries, Minister Zeichner, but part of the—”

“He is a wonderful Minister. We also talk directly to the fishing community as well. Part of the difficulty at the moment is that because we are doing the marine spatial prioritisation, of course we do not know at the moment where the offshore wind will be because that is part of having the strategic plan. However, to o…”

“To mention one success story with the marine spatial prioritisation —because who does not like to share success—in the past I was informed that there was regular conflict with the fishing community about the telecommunications cables that go along the bottom of the ground and the types of fishing and how that disrupted…”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman—we can capitalise on the opportunity, because we will be the first country that takes this through. As I have noted, the EU position seems to be moving, but we recognise that that will take some time, whereas I hope we will agree to this SI today. On that note, I thank everybody for their con…”

“I thank the most loyal Opposition for their support with this SI, and I thank all hon. Members who have spoken. It is incredibly important that we make clear the distinction between genetic modification and what we are talking about here, and that we note how different the two things are. I welcome the Opposition’s sup…”

“I am happy to clarify that I was talking about animals and birds. I can attempt to provide further information, but without wanting to appear deliberately vague, no decision has been taken. However, if and when one is, I will make sure that the hon. Gentleman knows.”

“Only because it is the hon. Gentleman.”

“I will take that point back to the Farming Minister. As for the assurance on risk, the advice is consistent across scientific sources and is supported by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, as well as institutions such as the Royal Society and t…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution, which was thoughtful, as always, and demonstrated our care for other countries around the world. We have talked about resistance to pests and changes owing to climate change, and this is generally a good and innovative technology that can be used to benefit many people. As I…”

“I will try to answer the right hon. Gentleman’s question and then he is welcome to intervene. A report by the Breakthrough Institute and Alliance for Science estimates that the EU’s current regulations on gene editing could result in an annual economic opportunity cost of $182 billion to $356 billion for the EU. That i…”

“As I said, there is an opportunity of $182 billion to $356 billion that we can perhaps not exploit—that is maybe the wrong word—but utilise, or take advantage of.”

“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairwomanship, Ms Hobhouse. The draft regulations, which were laid before the House on 25 February, implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. F…”

“The first week in September.”

“I thank my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Norwich South (Clive Lewis) for securing this debate and giving these important issues the parliamentary attention that they deserve, and for meeting me in January, when he highlighted his concerns about the water industry and helpfully set out what he is trying to achi…”

“I will try to come to everyone’s contributions in 15 minutes—I will try to get through as many as possible. My hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch is right to point out the appalling state of our rivers, the fact that not enough are in good chemical health and that there is much more to do. To reass…”