Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the proposed Energy Independence Bill will amend the deterrence regime to help prevent environmental damage from oil and gas operations.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the offshore environmental regulatory regime provides an effective deterrent against environmental damage and keeps the regime under review.

The proposed Energy Independence Bill does not include provisions to amend the deterrence regime. Decisions on whether to make changes to the regime through future legislation have not yet been taken.