§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the timing of the licensing of the White Zone. [115733]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 21 March 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer of 21 December 1999, Official Report, column 455W. I can inform him that officials are currently working to put in place a statutory framework for applying the Habitats Directive to offshore oil and gas activities.