§ Mr. Campbellasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library a copy of the environmental impact analysis by Sphere Consultants Limited on the proposed development by Mesa (UK) Ltd. of the Beatrice oilfield.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonA copy of the report was placed in the Library on 25th July. Together with the Minister of State, Scottish Office I plan to meet representatives of Mesa for a preliminary discussion of the report and other aspects of the development proposals later this week. The report has been sent to a number of interested organisations and to hon. Members of constituencies on the neighbouring coastline to the proposed development. It is a wide-ranging analysis of the environmental and other aspects of Mesa's proposed development 155W plan and I hope that those who have an interest in the proposed development will have on opportunity to study the report, as my Department is now doing, and I should welcome any comments on or arising from it. In the light of these comments and further analysis of the technical aspects of Mesa's proposals, my Department will in due course take a decision on the proposed oilfield development plan.