Rosebank Oil Field

Debate between Baroness Hayman and Baroness Curran

Thursday 29th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

The OBR will have to republish the figures if Rosebank does not go ahead, and that will need to be addressed.

[Baroness Hayman (CB)]

Does the Minister agree that perhaps noble Lords opposite should be a little more careful and a little nuanced in their interpretation of the OBR report? It did indeed, for the reasons that the Minister set out, include both Rosebank and Jackdaw in those assessments, but the overall assessment was that receipts from North Sea oil revenues and taxation would decline, as they have over the last 20 years, in the next five years to zero. Is it not really important that we concentrate on the future, and could the Minister tell me what progress we are making—it was mentioned in the Budget papers—on that important issue that would save consumers money, delinking the price of electricity from the price of gas?

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for pointing out that that is what the OBR actually says about that.

Jackdaw Gas Field

Debate between Baroness Hayman and Baroness Curran

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

Decommissioning is an important issue to raise. The noble Lord will know that we have asked Shell to submit its decommissioning programme for the Energy Secretary to consider. The next stage of the Brent decommissioning process has been under review since 2017. A final decision will be made only once all relevant evidence, representations and legal requirements have been considered, so we are taking pragmatic steps to unblock long-standing decision processes such as this—but the noble Lord makes an important point about the importance of decommissioning.

[Baroness Hayman (CB)]

My Lords, the Minister has made clear that this decision, understandable as it is within the context of the current circumstances, in no way detracts from the overall priorities and mission of the Government regarding net zero. She also made clear that it does not in any way affect the prices of gas for consumers in this country. It is said that the new North Sea energy wealth fund will support plans to delink gas and electricity over the course of this Parliament. Again and again we have raised the issue of how gas prices actually make things much more expensive for electricity consumers. On what timetable are the Government going to make some progress on this important issue?

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for that question. I am not sure I can give her a precise timetable, in all sincerity, because there is a series of decisions linked to it and it does not lend itself to a given timetable. We have made progress from 90% to 60% over the course of this decade. We want to keep the pace going on that and we will continue. Of course, it is contingent on a variety of issues, but I am happy to keep that issue on the agenda and at the forefront of our minds.

The noble Baroness mentioned climate change, and I emphasise how important this is. We have COP coming up. We regard ourselves as international leaders on climate change and we want to keep that position. The Secretary of State and the Prime Minister will be attending COP, which is an indication of the significance we give to it. This will be an ongoing conversation that I am happy to discuss in Parliament and with the noble Baroness.

Jackdaw and Rosebank Oil and Gas Fields

Debate between Baroness Hayman and Baroness Curran

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that question. I pay tribute to the work he has done in this field and to the very significant contribution he made as a Minister, particularly within the nuclear field. I cannot be drawn on the points he raises but I can assure him that the North Sea and oil and gas will play a vital role in our energy mix for years to come. He noted that under the Conservatives, by the end of 2016 more than 120,000 UK oil and gas jobs had gone. It is a changing basin, but we see it as part of the mix. We understand that the North Sea not only has an oil and gas sector but can play a vital role in a clean energy economy. That will make an enormous contribution not only to the north-east of Scotland but to the wider UK economy.

[Baroness Hayman (CB)]

My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness back to her position on the Front Bench. Does she agree that a major issue underlying the decisions—which I know she cannot talk about—is the widespread concern about the cost of energy in this country? Does she further agree that the important thing is to make some progress on decoupling the price of gas from the price of energy and electricity generally? When are the Government going to make some progress in separating off those two strands?

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her welcome and for that question. I recognise the work that she does and, as a former member, I hope I can continue to engage with Peers for the Planet. She makes a central point underlying the work that we do. The cost of energy is central to the Prime Minister’s mission in tackling these issues, and he has said that affordability will be at the centre of what he tries to do. She is also right to emphasise the de-linking of electricity and gas, and that will remain a priority of our work. I look forward to meeting her to discuss that and to continuing these debates in the House. I can assure her that that is a priority for our work going forward, as is affordability.