§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Energy what criteria will determine the allocation of licences for the next round of North sea oil explorations; when he expects these new licences to be granted and in what numbers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe criteria for the ninth round are set out in the text of theGazette Notice referred to in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Grist) on 24 May. As I said in that reply, I expect to license some 80 of the 195 blocks on offer. The awards are likely to be completed in the spring of 1985.