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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his timetable is for deciding whether to give Shell permission for its proposed plans for the (a) steel jackets and (b) concrete bases underneath decommissioned Brent oilfield platforms (i) Bravo, (ii) Charlie and (iii) Delta east of Shetland.

As part of the Brent decommissioning proposal, Shell propose to leave in-situ the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta.

A formal decision is expected to be made in due course.

Any approval of the derogation permit to leave in-situ the footings of the Brent Alpha steel jacket and the concrete gravity based installations Brent Bravo, Brent Charlie and Brent Delta will include permit conditions to continue to develop technology for the management of the structures (including in-situ remediation for the contents of the structures). Shell and the Brent field licensees will remain responsible and liable in perpetuity for any structures left in-situ.