Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with how many (a) fishermen, (b) vessel owners and (c) quayside support businesses the Environment Agency has had direct contact on the planned timings of that Agency's proposed remedial works to the Sutton Harbour lock gates in Plymouth.

Engagement with Sutton Harbour Group’s (SHG’s) customers and tenants has been carried out through their engagement channels, including their quarterly meetings, distribution lists (96 for fishing industry, 446 leisure berth holders), radio channels and through the Harbour Master.

The Environment Agency (EA) has provided support on the technical and programme aspects and attended meetings to enable stakeholders to ask questions on the proposed works. After the initial meeting, representatives from the fishing industry and the berth holders formed working groups to attend meetings and cascade information amongst stakeholder groups.

In addition to the main stakeholder engagement and communications carried out by SHG, the EA has had direct contact with:

1. 3 Fishermen (96 fishers and vessel owners contacted through SHG mailing list)
2. 4 Vessel Owners (96 fishers and vessel owners contacted through SHG mailing list)
3. 13 Quayside Support Businesses
4. 16 Leisure berth holders (446 contacted through SHG mailing list)

An engagement plan has been created by SHG, the EA and Kier to ensure that communication leading up to and during construction is timely and efficient.