§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations have taken place with representatives of the Channel Islands on the subject of offshore exploration rights for the recovery of hydrocarbons.
§ Dr. Summerskill:I have been asked to reply.
It is open to the Island Governments to issue licences for the territorial waters around the Islands. On the subject of the Continental Shelf, there has been consultation with the Island Governments for many years, but further discussion with them awaits the outcome of the arbitration on the demarcation of the Anglo-French Continental Shelf.