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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many licenses have been issued for oil and gas drilling each year from 2019.

The most recent offshore licensing round was the 32nd UK Offshore Licensing Round. It was conducted by the Oil and Gas Authority (now the North Sea Transition Authority), and concluded on 30 September 2020, with 113 licences offered.

Four offshore licences were also offered in 2019.

No onshore licences have been offered in England in this period. Onshore oil and gas licensing is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.