Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:36 pm on 4 March 2020.
I think it's really important to stress that no application has been submitted. And should a request be received, NRW will consult with those experts—of course they will—to consider if it's necessary, obviously, to inform its determination, and whether an EIA is required. I think it's also really important to stress, Deputy Presiding Officer, that a non-EIA approach does not mean a full assessment is not undertaken—. I think it's really important that people understand that. And before determining any application for a marine licence, NRW carries out a thorough assessment of the proposed activity, and that includes the consideration, as I said, of the need to protect the marine environment and human health, as required by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. And I reiterate: no marine licence application has been submitted to NRW at this time. The Welsh Ministers are the appeals body for marine licensing, so it's not appropriate to comment on projects that are subject to that application process.