Question
Q11. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Budget calculations assume the approval of the Rosebank gasfield, and, if so, has he told the Energy Secretary of this important development? If he is now taking back control of energy policy, will he approve more North sea exploration and, while he is at it, speed up the roll-out of nuclear as well?
Answer
That is obviously a matter for the Energy Secretary. It is a quasi-judicial decision, and the hon. Gentleman will have to wait for that in due course. He will also have to wait for the details of the Budget, which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will set out to the House shortly. The hon. Gentleman is right, however, in pointing to the fact that use of our reserves can support and accelerate a clean energy future, and that was very much the logic behind the decision that the Government announced on Jackdaw last week.12% vibes
Verdict: RED (12/100) DEFERRED
This reply mostly does not answer the question. It defers whether the Budget assumes Rosebank approval to the Energy Secretary and the forthcoming Budget statement, and it gives only a partial, hedged indication on future North Sea approvals, saying "in due course" and pointing to the Jackdaw decision. It does not address whether the Prime Minister communicated any Budget assumption to the Energy Secretary, beyond explaining that the decision is quasi-judicial. It does not address nuclear power or its roll-out at all. A member of the public would likely need to ask again for specific, committed information.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Budget calculations assume approval of the Rosebank gasfield development. | Deferred | Hedged | The reply neither confirms nor denies whether the Budget assumes Rosebank approval; it refers the question to the Energy Secretary and says the Budget details will be set out shortly by the Chancellor, which defers the substantive answer. |
| Whether the Prime Minister has informed the Energy Secretary that the Budget calculations assume approval of the Rosebank gasfield. | Not Addressed | Generic | The statement that the Rosebank decision is quasi-judicial explains why ministers may not comment on the decision, but it says nothing about whether the Prime Minister communicated any Budget assumption to the Energy Secretary. |
| Whether the Government will approve more North Sea oil and gas exploration. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply defers the answer on future approvals to "in due course" and only points to the Jackdaw decision and the logic of using reserves, which gives a partial indication of direction but no commitment on approving more North Sea exploration. |
| Whether the Government will speed up the roll-out of nuclear power. | Not Addressed | Generic | None of the answer statements mention nuclear power or its roll-out; the reply concerns oil and gas reserves and the Budget only. |