My honourable friend the Minister for the Natural and Marine Environment, Wildlife and Rural Affairs (Mr Huw Irranca-Davies) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

On Monday 20 April, the Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive published their joint high-level objectives for the UK marine area. This follows analysis of responses to consultations carried out last year. The objectives take forward the UK vision of clean, safe, healthy, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. They set out the outcomes that the Government and the devolved Administrations are seeking to achieve for the UK marine area and a vision of what success will look like, in order to set the context and strategic direction of future marine policies and activities.

The objectives will steer Administrations and the wider public sector in developing their policies to achieve sustainable development in the marine area and the wider context and help inform and educate the public, business and voluntary sectors.

The objectives are the starting point for the development of the marine policy statement provided for in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill, which is currently progressing through the House of Lords. The Government will be working closely with the devolved Administrations to develop a UK-wide marine policy statement.