§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list his responsibility in connection with the granting of oil and gas licences in tidal estuaries in territorial waters.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithMy responsibility, which derives from the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934, is to grant licences to search and bore for and get petroleum in accordance with regulations which are laid before Parliament. The current regulations are the Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1982, S.I. 1982 No. 1000.