§ Mr. SalterTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on the preparation of guidance on the use of legal powers to settle disputes over third party access to upstream oil and gas infrastructure. [23490]
§ Mr. WilsonI have, today, placed in the Library of the House a copy of a consultation document from my Department which seeks industry's views on proposed guidance on how, if asked to intervene, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry would use longstanding powers, now in the Petroleum Act 1998 and other legislation, to settle disputes over access to infrastructure.
Access to infrastructure is a key element in the process of extracting the UK's petroleum resources. The proposed guidance builds on consideration of the results of an earlier consultation. It is intended to reduce industry uncertainty about the operation of the regulatory regime and is one element of the Government's policy aimed at addressing barriers to exploration and development on the UK continental shelf.