§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Energy what powers his Department has to restrict the export of crude oil extracted from the North Sea.
§ Mr. GrayThe Energy Act 1976 provides powers for controlling the disposal of crude oil during an emergency, and under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 orders can be made by the Secretary of State for Trade to regulate the export from the United Kingdom of any crude oil.
The terms of North Sea production licences require oil extracted from licensed areas of the United Kingdom continental shelf and not used in offshore operations to be delivered on shore in the 44W United Kingdom unless I give written consent to delivery elsewhere, but this requirement does not bear on the export of oil once it has been landed here.