§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress in respect of the Barmac N166 site objective 1 application. [34834]
§ Mr. KynochThe approval of the European Commission is required under the terms of the seventh shipbuilding directive for public investment in Barmac's project, as it is presently constituted.
Since February, there have been a number of discussions and meetings between the company, officials of the Scottish Office and of the Department of Trade and Industry's shipbuilding unit and oil and gas projects supplies office. An informal meeting was held on 13 June between United Kingdom officials and the European Commission's Directorate General IV responsible for interpreting and enforcing the seventh shipbuilding directive, at which the Commission asked for clarification of certain issues before approval of the grant could be considered.