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 AI-generated
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.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.