§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy, in terms of Community regulations, whether it is open to him to prevent the sale of North Sea oil to continental buyers ready to pay commercial prices without involving the use of section 1 of the Energy Act 1976.
§ Mr. David HowellPrevention of the sale of North Sea oil overseas would require the use of national legislation such as the Energy Act 1976 or the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939; there are no Community instruments which themselves provide the necessary powers. However, as I made clear in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 24 May [Vol. 967, c.185], I expect those companies which export North Sea oil to do so in the markets of our partners in the Community and the International Energy Agency.