Thank you for contacting me about Jackdaw Gas Field.
I understand that proposals for Shell's Jackdaw development have been approved by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED). This comes after negotiations between OPRED and Shell and I am aware that the Business Secretary has welcomed that an agreement has been reached. This has the potential to produce 6.5 per cent of Britain's gas output which is in line with the Government's plans to secure our domestic energy supply in the face of global events.
While I am glad that 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 going to make better use of the oil and gas in the UK by giving the energy fields of the North Sea a new lease of life. You may also welcome that between 1990 and 2019 the UK decarbonised faster than any other country in the G7.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.