§ Mr. Patchettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to seek to extend the relaxation of planning controls for onshore oil exploration to the extraction of any oil found; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TraceyNo. Some measures were introduced in March to relieve industry of the burden of making a278W specific planning application for some small and temporary minerals exploration operations, but it is not our intention to relax planning controls on operations for the exploration or extraction of onshore oil.