Author Archives: HM Government

Defra has today launched a consultation on proposals seeking to revise the marine licensing application fees applied to England and the Wales and Northern Ireland Offshore marine areas. Changes are needed in order to maintain marine licence applicant fee rates in-line with the costs incurred by the Marine Management Organisation in determining a marine licence application.

This is being proposed to make sure the cost burden associated with administering licences for development lies with beneficiaries and not taxpayers.

Detailed information on the proposals is included in Defra’s consultation document, but includes:

• availability of self-service licences
• a simplification of charges for a routine marine licence
• an increase in the hourly rate charged for routine and complex marine licences (from £94 to £122 per hour)

The proposals were previously discussed by the MMO’s Chief Executive, John Tuckett, during a hearing of the Environment Audit Committee in the House of Commons in January 2017. They are also part of a wider programme of improvements in marine licensing to make sure that the process it is as efficient as possible and proportionately manages risks to the marine environment.

Businesses and industry representatives have been involved in this work and their views are being used to develop appropriate processes and services, such as a self-service approach for some marine licences, which is mentioned in the consultation document.

The consultation runs until 2 February 2018. If any changes are agreed it is anticipated they will come into effect in March 2018. Further details will be provided in advance of any changes taking place.

The relationship that the Maldives and the UK enjoy is long-standing. We are connected through history, through shared interests and concerns and, perhaps most importantly, through people.
This year British tourists have again made a very important contribution to Maldives’ economy. This year around a hundred thousand British holiday makers have visited your extraordinary country and I’m sure they will have enjoyed it. Of course a few people fall sick or get into difficulties and we are again grateful to the Maldives police and coastguard for the consular support they have given us during the year.

Education has long been an important tie for us. I’m pleased that this year we have again been able to help talented young Maldivians to study at prestigious British universities through our Chevening scholarship scheme, and it’s great that we were able to sponsor a local journalist to join journalists from around South Asia for some training.

On a quite different theme, the threat from terrorism is one that countries around the world face today, Maldives and the UK among them. We’ve done some great work this year with the Maldivian authorities on aviation security issues. And we’ve provided training for security managers of resorts all around the country. I’m looking forward to more of this sort of cooperation – sharing best practice and working together helps to keep us all safe.

We have continued to support important work that is being done in Maldives on women’s issues. Through the year I’ve really enjoyed meeting lots of people, men and women, in Male and on other islands who share my belief that our societies are better off when women and girls are able and encouraged to participate in all sorts of activities, including in business and politics.

Both as British Ambassador and as someone who has grown fond of your country over the two plus years that I’ve been in my position, I’ve seen things that worry me happen too. The freedoms to speak, to write, to meet, to justice, to choose are ones that should really matter, to all of us. We are hoping that we will see these freedoms start to flourish again in the coming year.

Since I was young I’ve had a strong interest in the environment and in effective conservation. In Maldives, beauty and environmental fragility go hand in hand. Experiences of countries around the world show us that coral reefs destroyed are impossible to replace, areas of mangrove bulldozed almost impossible to re-establish. It’s because the Maldives are so unspoiled that many people choose to visit. Going forwards I think that getting the balance between economic interest and conservation is one that will need careful thought and principled decision-taking.

Looking to 2018, everyone will agree that one of the most important events is going to be the presidential election. Almost every Maldivian I meet tells me of their hope that the election and the whole election process will be fair, and that voters will have a real choice and a free choice. In the UK, we share that hope.

I trust that you will share my wish that, in Maldives, in the UK and around the world, we will see values that make our societies peaceful and prosperous, tolerant and fair, prosper in the year ahead, and our communities grow stronger and happier for it.

May I wish you success and happiness in the coming year.