§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy why it is Her Majesty's Government's policy that the British National Oil Corporation is permitted exemption from the Restrictive Trade Practices Acts for participation agreements which is denied to private sector companies in their dealings inter se.
§ Dr. MabonParticipation agreements between the Secretary of State, the British National Oil Corporation and licensees and associated companies have been negotiated to implement Her Majesty's Government's policy of majority State participation in commercial oil fields on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. The policy is set out in Cmnd. 5696. The Participation Agreements Act 1978 was introduced to remove doubts as to whether or not the terms of the Restrictive Practices Act 1976 applied to participation agreements certified as such by the Secretary of State. The Participation Agreements Act 1978 does not affect the application of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 to any other agreements or commercial arrangements which BNOC or private sector companies enter into.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the British National Oil Corporation is bound by normal confidential rules when advising the Secretary of State in respect of information derived 394W from companies through participation agreements.
§ Dr. MabonThe use of information derived from companies through participation agreements by the British National Oil Corporation is governed by the terms of these agreements which were individually negotiated with the companies and which generally provide for BNOC to use such information when performing its duty under Section 3(3) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 to advise the Secretary of State at his request on petroleum matters. Extended summaries of agreements are placed in the Library of the House as the agreements become effective.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the British National Oil Corporation is permitted to further its commercial interests by making use of confidential information derived from companies under participation agreements.
§ Dr. MabonThe use to which the British National Oil Corporation may put information received under participation agreements is governed by the terms of the individual agreements which were negotiated between the companies, the Secretary of State and BNOC and which take account of the particular circumstances and interests of individual companies. Extended summaries of agreements are placed in the Library of the House as the agreements become effective.