HC Deb 29 June 1995 vol 262 cc796-7W
Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what sanctions are at his disposal to ensure compliance with environmental directives by any company wishing to decommission North sea oil platforms and rigs; [30716]

(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the environmental audit that was conducted concerning the disposal of the Brent Spar installation and other redundant North sea oil platforms and rigs in the Atlantic ocean. [30717]

Sir Hector Monro

Abandonment of offshore installations from the United Kingdom continental shelf is regulated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1987. Each case requires a best practicable environmental option assessment to be drawn up, and the approved abandonment plan includes appropriate conditions to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimised.

The Brent Spar is the only installation to date for which disposal at sea has been authorised. This required the Scottish Office to issue a licence under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and an authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. These were granted only after I was satisfied that disposal in this way would not present a hazard to fisheries, the marine environment or health.

My right hon. Friend is arranging for a copy of the BPEO and the impact hypothesis, which form part of the approved abandonment plan for the Brent Spar, to be placed in the Library within the next week.

Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the unemployment rate for the travel-to-work areas for each area in Scotland that is capable of providing a facility for the decommissioning of North sea oil platforms and rigs. [30718]

Mr. Kynoch

Proposals to decommission North Sea oil platforms and rigs offshore would raise a number of environmental issues. Subject to resolution of these, such decommissioning would, inter alia, require access to deep water, flat land and an opportunity to dispose of various kinds of material. Scotland is likely to have a number of such sites, which might include existing fabrication yards, Unemployment rates in travel-to-work areas covering the main fabrication yards in Scotland range from 7 per cent. to approximately 11 per cent.