§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings(a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials held where UK investment in oil or gas developments in the Timor Gap was discussed; when these meetings were set up; with whom these meetings were held; what the precise purpose of the meetings was; and what involvement there was of Indonesian Government (i) Ministers, (ii) officials and (iii) businesses; and if he will make a statement. [95267]
§ Mr. CabornAll the dealings of my Department regarding oil and gas developments in the Timor Gap have been with the Australian side. To date there has been no involvement of Indonesian Government Ministers, officials or other organisations in relation to such developments.
My officials visited Darwin in July 1999 and met the Northern Territory Minister, Hon. Daryl Manzie. Meetings were also held with the Office of Resource Development, Phillips Oil Company Australia, Woodside Energy Ltd., the Australian representative of the Australia-Indonesia Joint Authority for the Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation and with the University and local engineering and supply companies.
These meetings were set up by the British Consulate-General in Perth, WA, to allow an assessment to be made of the likelihood of oil and gas developments going ahead in the Timor Gap and the opportunities these might present for the suppliers of UK goods and services.