Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many contracts for offshore worker accommodation on (a) semi-submersible platforms and (b) barges were issued by oil and gas companies in the UK Continental Shelf in each year since 2013.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department does not hold the requested information.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what standard tests of appropriate commercial behaviour the Oil and Gas Authority applies to the (a) upstream, (b) midstream and (c) downstream supply chain of the offshore oil and gas industry.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) regulates the upstream oil and gas industry. As part of its decision making process to approve new projects (Field Development Plans) the OGA requires oil and gas companies to complete a satisfactory Supply Chain Action Plan (SCAP) which details how the project will be delivered in partnership with the supply chain. SCAPs focus on quality, trust, innovation and engagement, and the SCAP review and marking process aims to encourage the operator and supply chain company to work more closely together to increase efficiency and introduce innovation.
In addition, the OGA works closely with the industry via the Maximising Economic Recovery UK Forum on culture change to improve the commercial behaviours across the sector.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to prevent blacklisting of UK seafarers working in the North Sea oil and gas supply chain.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Blacklisting is completely unacceptable and has no place in modern employment relations. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 made it unlawful for an individual or organisation to compile, sell or make use of a blacklist of trade union members or those who have taken part in trade union activities.
Any individual or trade union who believes they have been the victim of blacklisting can enforce their rights under the regulations through an employment tribunal or the county court.
The 2010 blacklisting regulations are reinforced by powers in the Data Protection Act 2018, protecting use of personal data, including information on trade union membership and sensitive personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates use of personal data and investigates breaches of the Data Protection Act 2018. It has the power to take enforcement action, including searching premises, issuing enforcement notices and imposing fines for serious breaches.
The Information Commissioner will shortly open a call for evidence on the implications of modern employment practices in recruitment and selection, and the obligations of employers. If blacklisting is occurring, it should bring it to light. There’s no need to wait for that enquiry to begin however, anyone with evidence should present it to the Information Commissioner’s Office now.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project on the exploitation of viable oil and gas deposits under the UK Continental Shelf; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
The information which has emerged from the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project has helped incentivise further interest in UK offshore areas and complemented existing knowledge and understanding by making additional geological data available to the industry .
21st Century Roadmap projects, of which the Palaeozoic Project is one, have contributed data and interpretations that have been used by the industry to inform licence applications in the Oil and Gas Authority’s 29th Frontier Licence round. It is expected that the findings from these projects will again prove impactful in the recently launched 31st Frontier Licence round.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's latest estimate is of the remaining recoverable oil and gas deposits under the (a) North, (b) Central and (c) Southern North Sea.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government created the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to regulate, influence and promote the UK oil and gas industry in order to maximise the economic recovery of the UK’s oil and gas resources.
The OGA’s “UK Oil and Gas: Reserves and Resources” report estimates that overall remaining recoverable hydrocarbon resources ranged between 10 and 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) as at the end of 2016. The report may be found at:
https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/data-centre/data-downloads-and-publications/reserves-and-resources/.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the level of (a) exploration and (b) drilling activity in the North Sea since January 2017.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government created the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to regulate, influence and promote the UK oil and gas industry in order to maximise the economic recovery of the UK’s oil and gas resources.
The OGA publishes data on levels of exploration and other drilling in the UK North Sea. These can be found online at: https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/data-centre/data-downloads-and-publications/well-data/
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the (a) public and (b) private sources of funding for the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project undertaken by the Oil and Gas Authority and British Geological Survey between November 2014 and May 2016.
Answered by Claire Perry
The 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project was co-funded by Government and industry. Oil and Gas UK and 49 operators contributed £685,000 to the £1.32m project, with Government funding the remainder.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on convening a cross-government and stakeholder working party on the application of the national minimum wage for seafarers; and when he expects that working party to meet.
Answered by Nick Boles
The application of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for seafarers continues to be considered by the cross-Government working group which is reviewing the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011.
The Government is working with key stakeholders through this working group to agree and finalise revised guidance on the NMW for seafarers which will be published shortly.
Asked by: Ian Mearns (Labour - Gateshead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to the recommendation in the Low Pay Commission's Spring 2016 report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) that HM Revenue and Customs investigation of third party reports of NMW breaches be subject to a public protocol.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Government is carefully considering the non-rate recommendations in the Low Pay Commission Spring 2016, and will respond in due course.