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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to port operators of surveying mudflats required under (a) environmental assessment and (b) marine licensing processes; and whether she has made an assessment of the (i) consistency and (ii) proportionality of those requirements across England.

Costs for surveying mudflats vary. If surveying is a condition of a marine licence, the Marine Management Organisation charges a fee, to review evidence provided as part of a condition on a marine licence.