Part 3Marine planning

Chapter 1Marine policy statement

I144Marine policy statement

1

For the purposes of this Act a “marine policy statement” (an “MPS”) is a document—

a

in which the policy authorities that prepare and adopt it state general policies of theirs (however expressed) for contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in the UK marine area,

b

which has been prepared and adopted by those authorities in accordance with Schedule 5, and

c

which states that it has been prepared and adopted for the purposes of this section.

2

An MPS may also include statements or information relating to policies contained in the MPS.

3

If to any extent a policy stated in an MPS conflicts with any other statement or information in the MPS, that conflict must be resolved in favour of the policy.

4

In this Part “policy authority” means any of the following—

a

the Secretary of State;

b

the Scottish Ministers;

c

the Welsh Ministers;

d

the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland.

5

Any reference in this Part to an MPS being adopted by any policy authorities is a reference to the final text of the MPS being adopted by those authorities in accordance with Schedule 5.