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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer on 15 January 2019 to Question 207205 on Dredging of the Port of Ramsgate, whether the Marine Management Organisation have granted a license to the Port of Ramsgate for the dredging of the port as part contingency planning for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Under section 75 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act, certain activities by a harbour authority (or on behalf of one), within their area, are exempt from requiring a marine licence if they have a local act or a harbour order (the Ramsgate Corporation Act 1934 is the relevant local act in this case).

As a result of the dredging activity, referenced within the answer provided on 15 January 2019 to Question 207205, no arisings are being physically excavated during the dredging work and there is no material which requires disposal. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has not therefore granted a licence for the specific works being undertaken.

The MMO did issue a separate marine licence (L/2016/00086/2) on 18 March 2016 for ongoing maintenance and navigational dredging to the Port of Ramsgate which licences activity at the port until 2026.