Mr. Niall Goodwin:

I will pick up on the previous point, and we can go to some examples. I agree with Mr. Fogarty's point that ultimately this needs to be really clear, and clearly defined. We totally accept that there will be areas identified, which will not be suitable for offshore wind development. We can all agree on that. That sort of clarity and legal certainty is crucial. It needs to be based on a really robust framework, based on data, scientific evidence and experience. There need to be clearly defined boundaries and objectives within the MPA. The Bill seeks to achieve a lot of that but as we all agree here some of the definitions need to tightened up. I do not think we are in disagreement that there will be areas that come under that bracket.

The Chair is correct that there is often a preconception that marine activities, including offshore wind, automatically have an adverse effect on conservation objectives. There is evidence across Europe suggesting that they can coexist. We see examples around Europe of wind farms being developed in tandem with marine protected areas. My colleague, Ms Comiskey,has referred to one specific example of which members might be aware. At the moment the biggest wind farm in the UK, or maybe in Scotland, is the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm recently completed by SSE. There was an overlap there with the Firth of Forth banks complex nature conservation MPA, which is a bit of a tongue twister. That was a designated MPA with shelf banks and mounds, and offshore subtidal sands and gravels supporting a species called ocean quahog aggregations.

This is a good example of how this can be done properly. We are happy to get some more detail on this for members after the meeting if that is useful. It involved early engagement between the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in Scotland, Marine Scotland and the SSE Seagreen project on potential designations and management measures supported by environmental assessments and consideration of impacts. Subsequently, an assessment was carried out of whether the offshore wind farm would be capable of affecting the protected features of the MPA. It was concluded in that case that there was no significant risk of Seagreen hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives of the MPA provided that relevant conditions were complied with. That is important. As long as the Seagreen wind farm was able to comply with what was set out in that assessment, it could be deemed not to have that adverse effect. Those conditions were repeated in the grid connection application and licence and the planning consent of the wind farm to make sure it was compliant all along the way. There are examples across Europe, particularly in the North Sea, where offshore wind has been developed over a long number of years and is quite a mature industry, unlike where we are now. We can draw on experience from there and learn from what was done well and what was done badly. That is our opportunity in starting our offshore journey.

I will pass on to my colleague, Ms Comiskey, who has another example that is quite interesting and who can give more information to members. We are happy to follow up with more detail after the meeting if that is useful.