Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): The Committee deliberated informally on the clauses of the Petroleum Exploration and Licensing (Repeal) Bill on 23 September 2026. The Committee will now be asked to set out its formal position on each clause in public session. The session will be recorded by the Official Report.

I welcome back our friends and colleagues from the Department who will provide further clarity on recent correspondence from the Letterbreen and Mullaghdun Partnership (LAMP). Jimmy, I welcome back you and your colleagues. Do you have any further comments on the correspondence received?

Mr Jimmy Graham (Department for the Economy): Thank you, Chair, and good morning, members. I have one brief comment on the correspondence. Of course, I absolutely welcome scrutiny from any organisation if it helps with drafting good legislation. For the record, I believe that the departmental evidence provided to the Committee on 23 September was accurate and complete.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Of course. Are members content with that or are there any questions for officials? No. LAMP raised a concern that it had, but it is clear in the legislative provision that the UK Parliament remains sovereign over all those issues, so you are content with that. That is the evidence, then. Do members have any questions on that? No. OK; perfect. We thank you for that.

We will now move to our formal deliberations. I do not think that we need departmental colleagues or do we?

The Committee Clerk: We do. We just have to keep going.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): OK; no problem at all.

Members will be asked for their formal views on the clauses and possible amendments to the Bill for the record, and votes may be required. If members are clear, we will proceed.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Clause 1 is described as amending the Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 to remove the Department's power to grant licences for all forms of onshore petroleum exploration and production in Northern Ireland. It is also described as removing the Department's right to search and bore for and get petroleum. The clause repeals provisions of the 1964 Act that relate to the licensing regime and the Department's power to explore for petroleum.

The Department has advised that section 1 of the Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 is not being repealed. It is argued, therefore, that the property in petroleum existing in its natural condition in Northern Ireland remains vested in the Department and that that position is unchanged by the Bill. The Department has also advised that it retains the authority to take action against parties that seek to explore, bore or extract petroleum.

Do members have any questions on that? No. Are the officials content?

Mr Graham: Yes.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): OK. I will now ask members to indicate formally whether they wish to support the proposition that clause 1 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Clause 2 deems that live applications for licences are simply to be treated as withdrawn by the applicants. It has been indicated that the clause enables the Department, at its discretion, to provide, partially or wholly, a refund to the applicants for the fee paid in relation to the application, including an amount for interest. The Department advised that the payment or interest associated with refunds will be on a case-by-case basis and will be in line with 'Managing Public Money Northern Ireland' (MPMNI) guidance and European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) principles.

Do members have any questions on that? No. Are the officials content?

Mr Graham: Yes.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): I therefore ask members to indicate formally whether they understand clause 2 and support the proposition that clause 2 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Clause 3 makes consequential repeals to legislation that refers to the licensing regime being repealed by the Bill and revokes regulations that relate to the licensing regime.

Do members have any questions? No. Do officials want to add anything at this stage?

Mr Graham: No.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): I therefore ask members to indicate formally whether they support the proposition that clause 3 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Clause 4 enables the Department to make regulations in relation to the outcome intended by the Bill. Some of the regulations will be subject to draft affirmative procedure at the Assembly. The Examiner of Statutory Rules (ESR) has provided her advice.

There are no questions from members, and the officials are content. I therefore ask members to indicate formally whether they support the proposition that clause 4 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): The clause provides for an Act to come into operation the day after receiving Royal Assent. There are no question from members, and the officials have nothing to add. I therefore ask members to indicate formally whether they support the proposition that clause 5 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): The short title is: "Petroleum Exploration and Licensing (Repeal) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026". There are no further questions, and the officials are content. I therefore ask members to indicate formally whether they are content to support the proposition that clause 6 stands part of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): The long title is: "A Bill to repeal provisions in the Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 relating to petroleum exploration and licensing; and for connected purposes.".

The Chairperson (Mr Brett): Perfect. Officials, thank you.