§ Q2. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the rôle of the Secretary of State for Energy in relation to North Sea oil.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has assumed the responsibilities for North Sea oil matters which were previously exercised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
§ Mr. HamiltonAs Lord Carrington has been appointed as the energy supremo, does the Prime Minister think that Lord Polwarth would be missed if he were sacked?
§ The Prime MinisterAs certain responsibilities for the planning of the environment, and so on, in respect of North Sea oil fall to the Scottish Office, I should have thought that Scottish Members of Parliament would have wished to see a Scottish Minister handling them.
§ Mr. GrimondDoes not the Prime Minister agree that there is, to say the least, some confusion over Lord Pol-warth's present position vis-à-vis the Secretary of State for Energy? For instance, who is responsible for such matters as planning the line on which 240 pipelines are laid to the mainland, or for sea works connected with oil exploration?
§ The Prime MinisterThe responsibilities remain the same as before. As I have just said, the Scottish Office is responsible for such matters as planning in Scotland. Lord Polwarth was given the specific duty of looking after all aspects of development in Scotland, and that, I believe. is a valuable function to perform.