§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances Shell will be permitted to(a) withdraw and (b) modify its best practicable environmental option statement on deep sea disposal of the Brent Spar. [12599]
§ Mr. PageThe Government approved a programme for the deep sea disposal of the Brent Spar in the north-east Atlantic. Shell has asked six contracting groups to develop detailed plans for 11 alternative decommissioning schemes for the Brent Spar. Any alternative solution will be judged against the approved best practicable environmental option of deep sea disposal. Any new application must comply with the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987 and will need at least to satisfy those issues which demonstrated that deep sea disposal was the BPEO. Only in these circumstances would the Government modify the programme previously approved.
§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances a best practicable environmental option would be required for the decommissioning of the Brent Spar outside the United Kingdom; and what authorisation his Department would be required to give in order to permit the decommissioning outside the United Kingdom. [12611]
§ Mr. PageWhile the Brent Spar remains an installation for which the United Kingdom accepts responsibility internationally, its owners and operators are required by section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1987 to obtain the approval of an abandonment programme for its disposal. Under the agreement with Norway under which the Brent Spar is parked in Norwegian waters, the United Kingdom retains responsibility for the installation.
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§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's preferred option for the disposal of the Brent Spar; and what licences or best practicable environmental option would be required to comply with this option. [12596]
§ Mr. PageThe Government previously approved a deep sea option for the disposal of the Brent Spar. The owners have not followed that option through. Shell is now considering a range of options. For any alternative to be approved under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987 it must at least match the approved best practicable environmental option.
§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the status of the draft guidelines published for consultation in 1995 for disposal and decommissioning of offshore redundant oil and gas installations. [12597]
§ Mr. PageThe guidance notes, which were issued as a consultation document, embodied what Ministers considered were appropriate steps to ensure the proper consideration of any application for the approval of proposals for the removal and disposal of disused offshore installations. We shall reconsider them in the light of the comments made and the outcomes of current discussions in international forums on this subject. In the meantime, we shall follow their spirit in dealing with any applications which have to be decided.
§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade by what means his Department takes into account public opinion in establishing the best practicable environmental option in pollution control; and to what extent these procedures have been adopted in the disposal of the Brent Spar. [12600]
§ Mr. PageWithin the statutory requirements, it is for each authority responsible for pollution control to establish its own means of assessing public opinion on the matters which it must decide. In the case of applications for the approval of abandonment programmes for the disposal of disused offshore installations, the owners of an installation are required to carry out consultations with a range of organisations representing fisheries, amenity and environmental interests. This was done in the case of the Brent Spar. There is a need for clear, public understanding of the issues involved in decommissioning offshore installations and the Government accept that the decision-making process should be as transparent as possible. Revised consultation procedures are currently being considered.
§ Mr. TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice his Department has issued to Shell UK, in respect of decommissioning the Brent Spar outside the United Kingdom. [12934]