Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of seismic airgun surveys on cetacean species in the East Faroe Shetland Channel Marine Protected Area.

The UK has a comprehensive legal framework of environmental protection measures for offshore oil and gas activities. This covers the entire oil and gas life cycle, from the initial licence application to decommissioning activities. All exploration activities, including seismic surveys, which could impact the environment are subject to rigorous environmental assessment, and offshore activities are controlled through an environmental permitting process.