As you know, regulators have approved the drilling in Rosebank oil and gas field. This has the potential to produce 8 per cent of Britain's oil output which is in line with the Government's plans to secure our domestic energy supply in the face of global events. It is my understanding that, as is normal in these cases, the regulators submit all proposals for extensive scrutiny which includes a detailed environmental impact assessment process and an extensive consultation. Comment is invited on the proposals from a number of statutory nature conservation bodies, and there is an opportunity for members of the public and non-governmental organisations to engage in the decision-making process. Now that both regulators have made their final decision about the Rosebank application, the decision, along with a detailed summary of conclusions on its likely environmental impact, will be published for us all to study.
I appreciate your concerns about the approval of this application. Oil and natural gas are still required for heating, cooking and transport, and are vital to the production of many everyday essentials such as medicines, plastics, cosmetics and household appliances. While the Government is working hard to drive down demand for fossil fuels, there will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming years, as recognised by the independent Climate Change Committee, with the UK as net importers of both oil and gas. The Government is also boosting our energy security by committing to new oil and gas field licences in the North Sea, making sure we are not reliant on expensive, foreign imports.
Furthermore, Ministers are bolstering domestic renewable energy production through the Energy Security Strategy. This sets out plans to accelerate the deployment of wind, new nuclear, solar and hydrogen, while supporting the production of domestic oil and gas in the nearer term – which could see 95 per cent of electricity being low carbon by 2030. New ambitions include producing up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030 – more than enough to power every home in the UK. I also welcome that we have introduced changes to the planning system in England so that planning permission for onshore wind would depend upon a project commanding local support and being able to satisfactorily address any impacts identified by the local community.
It is encouraging to know that renewable energies fuelled 42 per cent of the UK’s electricity generation in 2022, up from seven per cent in 2010. The Government remains firmly committed to its net zero target. However, oil and gas will be required in the transition to net zero, and simply turning off the taps would mean we would have to import oil and gas, leaving us susceptible to global circumstances.
(October 2023)
