Clause 97 - Prohibited activities in safety zones
Energy Bill [Lords]
3:15 pm
Mr Nigel Griffiths (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry; Edinburgh South, Labour)
The clause prohibits entry into a safety zone except where permission is granted in a safety zone notice under section 96, which will be specific to the renewable energy installation in question, or in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State, which will apply to all safety zones. Such regulations would be passed by negative resolution. They are set out in subsection (8) and cover the general permissions that will apply.
The regulations are modelled on those that already apply to safety zones around existing oil and gas installations. They will cover such situations as vessels that are providing services to supporting services or goods to installations within the safety zone, vessels that have been saving or attempting to save life or
property or vessels in distress. I am not attempting to give the Committee a complete list, but I hope that that gives a flavour of the situations that we have in mind. The clause is an essential part of the safety zone regime. I hope that I have answered the hon. Lady's quite legitimate questions.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 97 ordered to stand part of the Bill.