Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions he has had with the Oil and Gas Authority regarding the (a) regulatory and (b) industry response to the slump in global oil prices.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Andy Samuel, Chief Executive designate of the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), on 15 January and asked him to accelerate work with industry to identify key risks to oil and gas production in the UK Continental Shelf and identify what further measures might be taken by government and industry to mitigate them. This is in the light of the recent falls in global oil prices and is complementary to the strategic work the OGA is being set up to lead. I met Dr Samuel on 13 January and asked him to present his findings by the end of February. The OGA is scheduled to become operational as an Executive Agency of DECC from 1 April 2015.