Clause 25
Energy Bill
Public Bill Committees, 26 February 2008, 4:00 pm
Malcolm Wicks (Minister of State (Energy), Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform; Croydon North, Labour)
There might be circumstances in which it is necessary to seek to restrain a person from exploring for carbon dioxide storage sites or from storing carbon dioxide. They might arise, for example, if someone began exploratory drilling activity without a licence. They should be required to stop their activity until they have obtained a carbon dioxide licence. The clause will allow the Secretary of State or the relevant regulatory authority to seek an injunction in such circumstances. In the absence of such a provision, an injunction could be sought only by a person whose private interests were affected or by the Attorney-General. There is precedent the provision in section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which gives a similar power to a local planning authority. We propose corresponding provisions for offshore gas storage.