Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted in Part
Strengthen stakeholder engagement across all marine policy areas within Defra.
Recommendation
Engaging stakeholders in a meaningful way is essential to ensure that decisions are inclusive, transparent, and responsive to both environmental and societal needs. For engagement to be effective, it must occur through appropriate forums, begin early in the decision-making process, and be maintained consistently throughout. Poor stakeholder engagement leads to the risk of the Government taking decisions without a full understanding of the consequences on them. It also contributes to low public awareness and may undermine support for policies that could otherwise deliver significant local and national benefits. While public bodies such as the Marine Management Organisation have taken steps to improve engagement, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs must ensure that stakeholder engagement is strengthened across all areas of marine policy. (Conclusion, Paragraph 23)
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, stating that stakeholder engagement is highly valued and central to policy delivery, with significant engagement already undertaken. They commit to reviewing how they can further improve engagement across all levels.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Stakeholder engagement is highly valued by the Department, its Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs) and Ministers. It is a central part of policy delivery and implementation. In tandem, Defra fully recognises the importance of being clear about how and when stakeholders can input and is testing new and novel approaches to further improve. For example: Defra currently undertakes significant engagement with stakeholders in the development and delivery of policy related to the management of the marine environment and uses of English coastal waters, including through marine planning processes and on compensatory Marine Protected Areas. Defra has adopted the principles of co-design in a range of other initiatives. The information gathered from robust and well-planned stakeholder engagement is valued and important. Defra and its ALBs already works within a wide framework of coordinated engagement and commits significant resources and time. We will review how we can further improve the ways we engage the full range of stakeholders at all levels in both the development of individual policies, and for the delivery of our overall work on the management of the marine environment. The Government therefore partially agrees with the recommendation at paragraph 23 and disagrees with the recommendation at paragraph 24.