§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what proposals he has to modify the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will list the offshore installations and pipeline networks which have been dismantled and removed in the past six years and those scheduled to be demolished and withdrawn from the United Kingdom continental shelf; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many programmes involving the abandonment of (a) offshore installations and (b) submarine pipeline networks he has approved over the past five years; if he will outline the maintenance and inspection regulations concerning such abandoned structures and pipelines; what advice is given to commercial fishermen associations and other users of the maritime environment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarMy right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and his predecessor the Secretary of State for Energy have approved the following abandonment programmes for offshore installations and pipelines:
In each case, except Piper Alpha and the Blair pipeline, the abandonment programme provided for complete removal of the facilities.
Year Facilities 1988 Piper Alpha 1991 Crawford 1992 Argyll, Duncan & Innes Blair 1993 Angus Forbes Part of Staffa—Ninian pipeline Maintenance and inspection requirements are decided on a case by case basis in the light of the circumstances of each abandonment proposal and after consultation with other Government Departments. In each case, the President of the Board of Trade has required consultations to be carried out with interested parties, including representatives of fishermen's organisations, and that the results of the consultations be reported in the abandonment programme. My officials meet representatives of fishermen's organisations at regular intervals for discussions on a range of subjects, including abandonment.
I have no proposals at present to modify the Petroleum Act 1987.