Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will formally consult the Scottish Government on ship-to-ship transfer proposals that affect Scottish waters.

Officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are in regular contact with their counterparts in the Scottish Government on the subject of ship-to-ship transfer proposals that affect Scottish waters, and on the development of the policy itself.

With regard to the ship-to-ship transfer licence application in the Cromarty Firth, in the event that a revised application is submitted we fully intend that the Scottish Government will be formally consulted.