UK EITI Contract and Licence Transparency subgroup meeting note, 16th April 2024

Mike Earp (NSTA)                                                            Nick Everington (TCE)

Johann MacDougall (Scottish Government)                   Mark Wilson (DfENI)                                

Mike Nash (DESNZ, UK EITI Secretariat, Chair)    

Main points and actions from the February 2024 meeting:

• Nick Everington to provide report back on discussions with TCE legal. A meeting has now taken place with the Competition lawyers and TCE are awaiting further guidance from them.
• Mike Earp agreed to check with colleagues whether the NSTA system records the date of application for each licence. If not it was agreed that the closing date for applications can be used as the date for all licensing and out of round applications. The system does not record the date of applications. Closing date for applications to be used in future.

The latest position for each licensing authority are as follows:

Department for the Economy Northern Ireland

• No change from previous position.

The Crown Estate 

• Need to revisit licence tables to see if they need updating.
• Later this year there will be new exploration and production agreements coming through. 

Scottish Government 

• There are no significant changes anticipated to either of the 2 onshore oil and gas licences in the near future and there are no plans to launch a licensing round.  Finalised policy position on onshore conventional oil and gas and coal extraction to be published in the Summer (at present, preferred policy position in respect of both is one of no support alongside a finalised policy position of no support for unconventional oil and gas).

North Sea Transition Authority 

• Licences have been offered in the recent offshore round and will be made available online once they have been awarded.
• Fast track licences have yet to be offered.

Next Steps

• UK Secretariat to provide first draft of paper for tabling at an MSG meeting in the Summer. The paper will set out the rationale for non-disclosure of data due to legal barriers and commercial sensitivity issues for each authority. (Action: UK Secretariat to provide first draft of paper for the MSG by late April/early May)
• Draft to be circulated for comment to subgroup members for further input. (Action: UK EITI Contract and Licence Transparency subgroup).
• Include an example of licence and contract with redaction. (Action: Possible example to be provided by TCE).
• Looking ahead it was agreed in principle to continue the subgroup after this work has been completed and to meet as and when required.