Oil and Natural Gas: Licensing
(asked on 4th November 2024) - View Source
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of pending (a) oil and (b) gas licence applications delayed due to the judgement in UKSC 2022/0064.
Answered by
Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not expect the Finch judgement to delay licence applications because it relates to Environmental Impact Assessments associated with applications for development consent for offshore oil and gas projects that have already secured a licence.
The Government will consult later this year on the implementation of our manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.
The North Sea Transition Authority has paused considering any further licences from the 33rd round pending the finalisation of the Government’s consultation process into the future of licensing.