Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the risk that arbitration claims could be filed under the (a) Energy Charter Treaty and (b) other trade or investment treaties by the (i) concession holders and (ii) shareholders in the Cambo oil fields in the event that a future government decided to end the concession before 2050.

The United Kingdom has investment agreements with Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions with over 90 trading partners, including within the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). There has never been a successful ISDS claim brought against the United Kingdom, nor has the threat of potential claims affected decisions taken by HM Government.

HM Government cannot comment on potential implications of hypothetical action that may be taken by a successor Government in the future.