§ 2.45 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when they propose to open negotiations for the delimitation of Continental Shelf licensing areas—
- (a) North of the 62nd Parallel;
- (b) in the Northwest Approaches.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have not yet decided when they wish to propose negotiations with the Governments concerned for these areas.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for his Answer and ask him whether it may not be of some importance to get negotiations going before the areas in question become too interesting in terms of geophysical surveys and the possible identification of areas of resource, possibly even of controversy and ultimately of conflict, and that therefore there is an urgency about approaching this matter?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I take full note of what the noble Earl has said. These are considerations which are very much present in the mind of the Government in dealing with this important matter. At the moment I will not engage in detail, but I can give the assurance that this matter is being carefully examined.