To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the number of meetings there have been between her Department and the Crown Estate regarding the release of licenses for off-shore wind opportunities, since the start of the 2016 Assembly mandate.

At present, seabed leasing for offshore renewable energy is not possible as The Crown Estate (TCE) require a decommissioning regime for a leasing round to take place. My Department has therefore had no meetings with TCE regarding the release of areas for leasing. My Department continue to work in close collaboration with other departments and key stakeholders, such as TCE, to develop and deliver the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan (OREAP). This plan outlines the policy frameworks required to enable Offshore Renewable Energy development in the North.