§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the role of the British National Oil Corporation in promoting the construction of oil rigs and offshore equipment for the exploration of oil and gas in the North Sea and on progress made in this field relative to future licensing of blocks.
§ Mr. BennBNOC recognises the importance of promoting the interests of the British offshore industry on a competitive basis and, in discharging its commercial responsibility as a North Sea operator, affords British suppliers full and fair opportunity to compete for orders of goods and services. The Corporation has also entered sponsorship of oil-related research and development projects. By both means the Corporation has a positive role in relation to the development of British offshore technology, and to the construction or manufacture of particular items of equipment. The importance of this role should increase as the Corporation assumes further operating responsibilities under future licences.