§ LORD KENNETasked Her Majesty's Government:
Who is responsible for the defence of well-heads, platforms, rigs and pipelines on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf against foreign attack and terrorist sabotage, how that responsibility is exercised and what studies have been made of the vulnerability of these installations; and whether they will be published.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (LORD CARRINGTON)The installations and other devices for the exploration and exploitation of the Continental Shelf of the United Kingdom are under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. The responsibility for them thus rests with the same authorities that would be responsible on land, including the owners, the police, other civil authorities and the Armed Services. The vulnerability of the installations is kept under careful study but, as with all such studies on possible threats from foreign attack or sabotage, the noble Lord will appreciate that it would not be in the public interest to publish the results.