Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23)

Part 1 U.K. The Marine Management Organisation

Chapter 4 U.K. Miscellaneous, general and supplemental provisions

General powers and duties U.K.

24 Research U.K.

(1) The MMO may (whether alone or with other bodies or persons)—

(a) undertake research into any matter relating to its functions or its general objective, or

(b) commission or support (by financial means or otherwise) research into any such matter.

(2) The MMO is to make the results of any such research available to any person on request.

[F1 (2A) The MMO must, at the request of the Secretary of State—

(a) undertake research into any international marine matter, or

(b) commission or support (by financial means or otherwise) research into any such matter;

and may, in complying with such a request, undertake, commission or support research with other bodies or persons.

(2B) The MMO must, at the request of the Secretary of State, make the results of any research under subsection (2A) available to any person.]

(3) Subsection (2) [F2 or (2A)] does not require the MMO to make available—

(a) any information that it could refuse to disclose in response to a request under—

(i) the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36), or

(ii) the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/ 3391) or any regulations replacing those Regulations;

(b) any information whose disclosure is prohibited by any enactment.

[F3 (4) For the purposes of this section a matter is an “international marine matter” if—

(a) it relates to an area outside the UK marine area, and

(b) the MMO has power under subsection (1)(a) to undertake research into a corresponding matter that relates to the UK marine area or an area within it.

(5) References in this section to the functions of the MMO are to functions exercisable by or on behalf of the MMO (including functions that the MMO performs under an agreement under section 14, and functions that any other body performs under an agreement under section 15).

(6) References in this section to a person include a person outside the United Kingdom.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 24(2A)(2B) inserted (23.11.2020) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(1)(f), Sch. 10 para. 2(2) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F2 Words in s. 24(3) inserted (23.11.2020) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(1)(f), Sch. 10 para. 2(3) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F3 S. 24(4)-(6) inserted (23.11.2020) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(1)(f), Sch. 10 para. 2(4) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 24 in force at 12.1.2010 by S.I. 2009/3345, art. 2, Sch. para. 3