§ 25. Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with oil and gas companies regarding future investment in field development in the North Sea. [120530]
§ Mrs. LiddellMinisterial colleagues and I regularly meet oil and gas companies. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe chairs the industry/Government forum PILOT which is actively considering ways of encouraging investment in North Sea oil and gas development. In addition, in February, my Department announced an initiative to target areas where there has been no exploration or development for some time.