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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the frequency of use, and (2) effectiveness of, the Marine Management Organisation's ‘coastal concordat’ when planning decisions involve both local authorities and the Marine Management Organisation.

The Coastal Concordat sets out the key principles for coordinating the consenting process for coastal development in England. The Concordat approach offers benefits to applicants, signatories and regulators by reducing unnecessary regulatory duplication, streamlining assessments and increasing transparency and consistency of better explained and coordinated advice.

Defra and the MMO continue to encourage the adoption and use of the Coastal Concordat, including by local authorities who are not signatories. Defra periodically reviews and updates the list of local authorities who are signatories to the Concordat on Gov.UK.