§ Mr. Maclennanasked the Minister of Transport what lease facilities are available at Invergordon at present to service the Beatrice field; what estimates have been made of the cost of providing necessary improvements to these facilities: and what approvals his Department has given for the development of these facilities to service the Beatrice field.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo facilities exist at Invergordon at present specifically to service the Beatrice field although some time ago the Cromarty Firth port authority did some preliminary work at the west harbour, against the possibility of the future needs of the oil industry.
I understand that the authority and the Beatric consortium have just concluded heads of agreement under which the consortium, 242W after having obtained all the necessary statutory consents, will be licensed by the authority to construct and operate a supply base at Invergordon for the Beatrice field. The construction cost of the base is not known but is believed to be about £2–3 million.
Since this exceeds the statutory limit of £1 million laid down under section 9 of the Harbours Act 1964, my approval is one of the consents the consortium will have to obtain before it can proceed. No such application has reached me yet. My right hon. Friend is however, considering an application for approval under section 9 of the Harbours Act in respect of a proposal to build an oil terminal at Nigg which is covered by the same heads of agreement.