HC Deb 30 July 1974 vol 878 cc461-3
8. Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has now taken to protect oil and gas installations in the seas surrounding the United Kingdom.

Mr. Judd

Protection from external attack forms part of national and NATO defence planning. As regards peace time, I refer the right hon. Member to my reply on 1st July—[Vol. 876, c. 36.]—to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) in which I explained that the precise rôle of the Armed Services would depend on the circumstances. Naturally, the Ministry of Defence is constantly seeking ways to ensure that the response of the Armed Services to any contingency is made with the greatest possible effect.

Mr. Walker

Who is now responsible for co-ordinating all the various organisations involved with such defence? Will the hon. Gentleman assure us that never again will a Soviet spy ship be able to go alongside one of our oil rigs and take whatever pictures it wants?

Mr. Judd

There is a later Question about that matter. The installations to which the right hon. Gentleman refers in his Question are under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. The responsibility for them thus rests with the same authorities as would be responsible on land, including owners, the police, other civil authorities and the Armed Forces. We therefore regard the close co-ordination of the plans of various Government Departments as essential, and the Government take collective responsibility for it.

Mr. Dalyell

Does my hon. Friend recall that security at 27 of the 29 British oil rigs is at present in the doubtless capable hands of the Chief Constable of Aberdeen? Can my right hon. Friend enlarge on the undertaking, given on the Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill yesterday, that the Government will look into this whole question?

Mr. Judd

I endorse what my hon. Friend has said about the Chief Constable of Aberdeen, whose hands are certainly capable. I underline the seriousness with which the Government treat this subject by drawing attention to the very successful seminar, held under Ministry of Defence auspices and attended by hon. Members from both sides of the House, amongst others with specialist responsibilities, on 23rd July. At the seminar the Government said that we would not relax our efforts to improve all the time the co-ordination of Government policy as a whole.

Mr. Sproat

What pressure is the hon. Gentleman bringing on the oil companies to increase their own security of rigs and platforms?

Mr. Judd

This is an important aspect of our overall policy. We are in constant close touch and liaison with the oil companies. We hope that they will be able to play a full part, particularly in aspects of design, in contributing towards effective defence.

Mr. Douglas Henderson

Is the Under-Secretary of State aware that his remarks about the Chief Constable of Aberdeen will be warmly received in the North-East of Scotland and in Scotland generally because these rigs lie under the jurisdiction of Scots law? What consultation is the hon. Gentleman having with the Norwegian Government on this matter, since they must have similar problems?

Mr. Judd

Naturally we consult our allies about the whole policy of the defence of North Sea installations. This is essentially an international matter and one which cannot be handled simply on a national basis.

Mr. William Hamilton

Is my hon. Friend aware that if we had a Scottish navy, as proposed by the Scottish National Party, all these problems would be solved?

Mr. Walker

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman could tell us the strength of the navy of the Chief Constable of Aberdeen. Is he aware that many of us who attended that very interesting seminar came away with the feeling that the one thing lacking was co-ordination? It is not good enough to say that the Government as a whole are co-ordinating. Will the hon. Gentleman ask the Government to consider appointing a person of substantial authority to co-ordinate these activities?

Mr. Judd

When we became the Government earlier this year, one of the problems which deeply concerned us was the need to improve co-ordination. We have since taken steps to improve co-ordination. We see it as a collective Government responsibility, and Ministers in the various Departments concerned share that responsibility as a front line as part of their general policy.