§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when applications for hydrocarbon licences will be invited in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to promote such applications.
§ Dr. BoysonI am placing in the Library the text of a notice which will appear in the London and EdinburghGazettes and in the Belfast Gazette. It indicates that the Department of Economic Development will accept applications for landward petroleum licences in Northern Ireland from 4 March 1985. The areas on offer for licensing are in East Antrim and in adjacent parts of East Tyrone/South Londonderry. From 4 March 1985 the Department is also making available for purchase a package of information, prepared by petroleum consultants and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland on the potential of the area on offer for licensing. The Department will also be pleased to arrange, on request, subsequent discussions with its advisers for all those companies which purchase this information. In order to give time for corporate analysis of the information being released, and discussions with departmental advisers, the closing date for the receipt of licensing applications is 28 June 1985.