GovWire

6 Week consultation on the review of Marine Guidance Note 372

The Maritime and Coastguard Agencys (MCA) guidance document MGN372 Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREIs): Guidance to Mariners Operating in the Vicinity of UK OREIs has not revised since 2008, and there has been rapid growth and expansion in the renewables industry over the last few years. A 12-week consultation on the document was conducted in 2020 and this second consultation is being conducted on the subsequent amendments made following the consultation comments.

Given the time of year the consultation period will run for six weeks. Please send your responses to MCA by email to nick.salter@mcga.gov.uk or by post to the address at the top of this letter by 23:59 on Friday 26 August 2022.

The consultation documents, including MCA responses to the first consultation comments, will be available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?publication_filter_option=consultations

Freedom of Information

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence. In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.

An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the Department/MCA. The MCA will process your personal data in accordance with the data protection framework and, in the majority of circumstances, this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

Data Protection

The MCA is carrying out this consultation to gather evidence. The consultation is being carried out in the public interest to inform the development of policy. The MCA will use your contact details to send you information about the consultation, for example if we need to ask follow-up questions, as part of its functions as a government department. Your information will be kept secure and will not be used for any other purpose without your permission.

To find out more about how the MCA looks after personal data, your rights, and how to contact our data protection officer, please go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency/about/personal-information-charter

If you do not wish to remain on this list, please reply and let us know.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Nick Salter

Offshore Renewables Lead

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