Question to the Wales Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had in the past 12 months with Welsh Ministers on issues relating to the trawling of the sea bed for rare minerals within territorial waters of the Welsh coast.

UK Government Ministers have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a wide range of issues. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs engages regularly at official level with the Welsh Government on areas of shared interest, including marine licensing.

The licensing regime for mineral extraction from the seabed within Welsh waters is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government, and therefore the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales (NRW).