Deep Sea Mining Act 2014


The Deep Sea Mining Act 2014 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014.

Legislative passage

It is unusual as this bill passed through parliament as a private members bill, it was sponsored by Sheryll Murray MP and Baroness Wilcox.

Provisions

The act creates a legal framework for the deep sea mining industry. The Act enables the deep sea mining sector to be regulated in a modern way and aims to prevent damage to the environment.
The act amends the Deep Sea Mining Act 1981 so that the UK government can grant licences for deep sea mining, and so that the 1981 act is aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Reception

The Shadow Foreign Office Minister Kerry McCarthy criticised the legislation for not providing enough environmental protections.