Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with (a) trade unions representing the offshore workforce and (b) industry representatives on the effect of recent reductions in oil prices on the steps required to achieve revising the oil and gas Industrial Strategy for (i) safety, (ii) skills, (iii) the supply chain, (iv) decommissioning and (v) the fiscal regime.

The Oil and Gas Industrial Strategy is under constant review by the Oil and Gas Industry Council, on which industry and trade unions are represented. The Council last met in November 2014. Discussions on the implications of the effect of recent reductions in oil prices took place at the January meeting of Pilot, on which industry and trade unions are also represented. The next meeting of the Industry Council is on 24th March 2015.