§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the environmental impact of drilling for oil in the Atlantic. [4402]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 23 June 1997]: In deciding which blocks to offer for licence in the 17th round, the Department of Trade and Industry took account of advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, its principal adviser on environmental matters, relevant Government Departments and environmental groups. Blocks awarded for licence in the round are subject to 455W conditions which seek to mitigate any possible adverse environmental impact of petroleum activities. The conditions were agreed with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.