Burnham says Rosebank and Jackdaw decisions coming "shortly" as Tories press for approval

Centre · 1The Conservatives called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to stop "dithering" and approve the Jackdaw gas field and the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea. 1 Centre · 1They also urged the government to lift the ban on new North Sea drilling licences and scrap the Energy Profits Levy, the so-called "windfall tax". They said scrapping them could unlock 2.9 billion barrels and £165 billion in economic value and protect 200,000 skilled jobs. 1 Centre · 1The Tories said Jackdaw's platform is "99%" complete and the regulator finished its consultation in August. They claimed the Energy Secretary was days away from approving it in September, but the decision was pushed back because Labour feared losing to the Greens in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. 1

Centre · 1Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said the by-election was over and "his excuse has gone with it". The Conservatives said more than £3 billion has already been invested in the two fields, which together would contribute £28.7 billion to the economy. They said Jackdaw could supply more than 6% of Britain's gas by this winter, and warned Britain risks importing 82% of its gas by 2035. 1 Centre · 1A Labour spokesperson answered that the Conservatives left the economy in a dire state and failed to secure energy supply over 14 years. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said oil and gas will keep an important role for decades, and that any decision will consider all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations. 1 Centre · 1On 14 October, at Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asked Burnham what he was waiting for, saying he had said in July he would approve the fields. She urged him to "stop faffing about". 2

Centre · 1Burnham replied that he had to wait for the government process, struck down by the courts under the Conservative government, to be fixed, and that he would take a "pragmatic approach". He said decisions would be set out "shortly". The BBC reported that it is not yet known when the announcement will come. 2 Centre · 1Jackdaw is about 150 miles east of Aberdeen, and its operators say it could be connected to the UK network within months. Rosebank, about 80 miles north-west of Shetland, is Britain's largest untapped oil field. 2 Centre · 1The Conservative government granted the licences in 2022 and 2023. The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled last year that the fields had been unlawfully approved because the climate impact of burning the extracted oil and gas was not taken into account. 2

Centre · 1Environmentalists say more drilling would be unconscionable and would not protect energy security. Industry bodies say production would bring jobs and improve security. Burnham has left open approving the fields but says he will keep Labour's promise not to issue new licences while honouring existing ones. 2