Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to commission a feasibility study on an ultra-deep-water berth at a UK port.
As I said at the Westminster Hall Debate on the UK oil and gas industry on 19 April, we will commission a UK-wide scoping study on an ultra-deep water port to support the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas assets. We will work closely with the Scottish Government which had already commissioned a UK-wide study to support its own commitment through its own Programme for Government. I have since discussed this issue in a meeting with Paul Wheelhouse MSP, and BEIS officials remain in contact with counterparts from the Scottish Government on their study. We expect to tender for a UK Government study in the near future and will ensure that we do not duplicate the work undertaken by the consultants working on behalf of the Scottish Government.