Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the press release by his Department entitled UK strengthens protections for taxpayers in energy treaty negotiations, published on 24 June 2022, whether it is his policy to leave the Energy Charter Treaty if the modernisation process is not concluded.

The UK has been a strong advocate for ECT modernisation. At the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November, the decision to adopt the modernised Treaty was postponed. In light of this, the UK is monitoring developments, including the positions of other Contracting Parties.