Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I welcome the opportunity to participate in the debate this afternoon and also to move the amendments in the name of Darren Millar on behalf of the Conservative group. 

Actually, looking at the main motion, it's almost difficult to disagree with the sentiments in it and, obviously, hopefully our later amendments do add to the motion and point to the actions today in Westminster, for example, of the introduction of the UK Fisheries Bill, the first piece of UK-specific legislation on fisheries in 45 years.

Amendment 2 seeks to, obviously, delete point 2 of the motion on the basis that it talks of the inaction. I think in fairness to the UK Government, it tried darned hard for three years to try and get us out of the European Union and respect the referendum result. In the absence of that word 'inaction' we could have supported the motion unamended, but that's why amendment 2 is down, and I hope that the Brexit Party understand why that amendment has been put down, being that we're the governing party in Westminster.

Amendment 4 talks about us leaving the European Union on Friday. As the opener of the motion highlighted and, as we had in an earlier debate highlighting what will happen on Friday at 11 o'clock, obviously, leaving the common fisheries policy and becoming an independent coastal state. This is self-evident of the referendum result of 2016. And I do draw Members' attention to the introduction today of the UK Fisheries Bill and the measures contained within that Fisheries Bill that talk of, obviously, creating a sustainable fishing industry that will have strict rules on catches and the way that it will be governed, the way ships will be registered, and the way those catches will be landed here in England, obviously, because I appreciate this particular Bill is England-only with some devolved concepts attached to it of general content.

I'd welcome the Minister's view on her take on the UK Fisheries Bill as introduced and what discussion her officials might have had, because within the Bill's provisions it does talk about sustainable fishing underpinning the requirement of the UK Government and the devolved Governments to publish a joint fisheries statement to co-ordinate fisheries management where appropriate, and the fisheries management plans to achieve sustainable fishing stocks. So, I'd be most appreciative to try and understand from the Minister what input she has had, or her officials have had, in devising that protocol that the Bill talks about.

Amendment 5 also talks about the increased opportunities from fisheries across the UK and, in particular, the way that the Conservative manifesto, endorsed at the general election of 2019, highlighted clear commitments on behalf of coastal and fishing communities, and in particular when it came to financial support and, indeed, more structural support going into those communities. Again, I emphasise that there is a cross-over between devolved responsibilities when it comes to Wales and the UK responsibilities, but instead of looking at this as an obstacle, we should be looking at this as an opportunity, because I genuinely can't think of anyone who can point to the common fisheries policy as being a positive regime that has enhanced the fishing capabilities of the United Kingdom and the coastal communities of the United Kingdom.  

It is really important that we do hopefully hear from the Minister today, as amendment 6 talks about, about the new fishing strategies that could potentially come forward that are based on the sustainable management of our fisheries and, indeed, our marine wildlife and our marine areas. I do hope that when the Minister puts the Government proposition to us, she will highlight to us what progress the Government is making in preparing its own fishing Bill, which I appreciate, given the legislative constraints at the moment on time, is highly unlikely to come before us before the Assembly elections of 2021. But I would like to think that officials are working up the proposals on how, as the UK Fisheries Bill highlights, fish don't respect borders; they obviously live in the oceans and they transfer around the coastal communities. It is vital that there is joined-up thinking between Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland and, indeed, with our friends and colleagues on the continent of Europe, that we do make sure that we have a managed and sustainable policy going forward.

But instead of looking at this as a backward retrograde step, as some Members in the Chamber would look at it, I think on reading the UK Fisheries Bill today we can see the positives that will come after Friday's leaving of the European Union, and a reversal in the decline of the fishing industry here, not just in Wales but across the rest of the UK, with the opportunities that we as policy makers can engage with and put those things in place that, sadly, many coastal communities have been lacking for the 45 years and the duration of the common fisheries policy.

So, I hope our amendments will find favour tonight and add to the motion that the Brexit Party have put down today. Ultimately I call, similar to the call of the leader of the Brexit Party, on the Government to withdraw their wrecking amendment, which is a delete-all amendment again. I fail to see how you can delete all of a motion that is pretty understanding in what it's saying about a self-evident act that's going to happen on Friday, and what that will entail for us here as policy makers and, indeed, coastal communities and fishing communities the length and breadth of the UK. Instead of looking at this as a hindrance, we should look at it as an opportunity, and that's why I very much hope people will support our amendments, and indeed support the motion as it goes forward.