Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the judgement in UKSC 2022/0064 on the remaining (a) oil and (b) gas licence applications made under the 33rd licensing round.

The Supreme Court's Finch judgment relates to Environmental Impact Assessments associated with applications for development consent for offshore oil and gas projects that have already secured a licence. On October 30^th the Government launched a consultation on guidance that will help developers understand how to account for the Court judgment when undertaking Environmental Impact Assessments associated with those consent applications. The consultation will close on January 8^th and the Government aims to have the finalised guidance in place in the Spring.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has paused considering any further licences from the 33^rd round pending the finalisation of the Government’s consultation process into the future of licensing.