§ 2.40 p.m.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government in which areas of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf seismic exploration is being conducted under Government auspices without the help of any of the oil companies.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of ENERGY (Lord Balogh)My Lords, seismic exploration under Government auspices is being carried out in undesignated areas of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, are we to infer from that Answer that this is being done without the help of the oil companies, who could assist very considerably?
§ Lord BALOGHNo, my Lords; the Government have in fact purchased data from expert companies—they have spent about £100,000 on this—and they have bought 8,000 miles of non-exclusive seismic data covering the Rockall Plateau, the Rockall Trough and the Faroes Trough areas.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, is it not the case that the oil companies have offered to join in this operation, over and above the marketing of the material the noble Lord mentioned, and that that offer has been refused?
§ Lord BALOGHMy Lords, I am not aware that any offer has been refused.