HC Deb 06 November 1970 vol 805 cc472-3W
Mr. Laurance Reed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards jurisdiction of the deep sea floor following the failure of negotiations within the United Nations' Seabed Committee.

Mr. Anthony Royle

The work of the United Nations Sea Bed Committee has not yet advanced very far, but it is certainly premature to speak in terms of failure. I cannot therefore usefully add to my reply on 4th November to my hon. Friend and my reply on 2nd November to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet).—[Vol. 805, c.266; Vol. 805, c. 398.]

Mr. Laurance Reed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations with the Republic of Ireland for the division of the sea floor with Great Britain in the Irish Sea and St. George's Channel.

Mr. Anthony Royle

Proposals were put to the Government of the Republic of Ireland in 1965 that negotiations should be opened for the delimitation of the Continental Shelf in the Irish Sea and St. George's Channel. Although some informal discussions were held, it was clear that the Irish Government were not ready to open formal negotiations at that time. A further informal approach was made in Dublin recently, and there is a possibility that this may lead to more formal negotiations.

Mr. Laurance Reed

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations with the Danish Government for the division of the sea floor between the Shetland Isles and the Faroes.

Mr. Anthony Royle

At the time of the negotiations with the Danish Government in 1965, which resulted in an Agreement for the delimitation of the Continental Shelf under the North Sea between the United Kingdom and Denmark, it was not considered necessary to discuss the division of the sea floor between the Shetland Isles and the Faroes. The principal reason at that time was the considerably greater depth of the sea in this area, amounting to over 1,000 metres, which rendered it highly improbable that exploitation of the sea bed would be economically feasible in the immediate future.

This situation still obtains, and there have been no proposals from either side to open negotiations on this question.