§ Mr. William Sheltonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all those countries to which oil exporting companies have refused to export United Kingdom North sea oil, as a consequence of the Government's declared policy which limits the export of North sea oil to members of the European Economic Community, the international Energy Agency and according to established patterns of trade.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe information requested, which concerns the commercial activity of individual companies exporting North Sea oil, is not held by Her Majesty's Government. On the scope of the guidance given by Her Majesty's Government to these companies, however, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 22 April of this year, at column 117.
§ Mr. William Sheltonasked the Secretary of State for Energy, in view of the Government's declared policy of restricting exports of United Kingdom North sea oil to members of the European Economic Community, the International Energy Agency and according to established patterns of trade, what information he has about North sea oil being exported in the last few years to a number of countries outside those permitted areas; and what penalties have been applied to the exporting companies.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI am aware of two instances since 1979 in which cargoes of North sea crude oil were by oversight exported to destinations outside the scope of the guidance given by Her Majesty's Government in that year to companies exporting such oil. I am satisfied that there was no intention on the part of the companies concerned to disregard the guidance, and they have taken steps to prevent any repetition.