AQW 24084/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 12/10/2021
Answered On Date: 21/01/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy whether, in the preparation of petroleum licensing options to bring before the Executive, he will be including an option to ban petroleum licensing altogether.

Answer:

A full range of policy options for the future of petroleum licensing in Northern Ireland is under consideration, including a ban on all petroleum licensing.

I hope to bring these options to the Executive in the New Year for agreement of a preferred policy option.

Following Executive approval of a preferred option, my Department will take forward a public consultation which will set out the range of options considered and the rationale for the preferred policy option.