Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the decision to permit the development of the Alligin oil field by BP was taken by (a) the Oil and Gas Authority or (b) the Government.

The Energy Act 2016 which established the Oil and Gas Authority as an independent company to regulate, promote and influence the UK oil and gas sector. The Oil and Gas Authority, in their role to regulate the sector, were responsible for taking the decision to permit the development of the Alligin oil field.