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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to the Marine Management Organisation on (a) informing and (b) consulting local communities before determining marine licence applications for seaweed farms.

Defra has not issued any current guidance to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO follows the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA) when considering how to engage and consult with local communities affected by marine developments, including seaweed farm applications. The Act requires that there must be publication of notice of an application for a marine licence, in a manner that the MMO considers most likely to bring the proposal to the attention of people with an interest in it. The licensing authority must have regard to any representations which it receives from any person having an interest in the outcome of the application.