I appreciate the concerns raised with me about the Cambo oil field and I will ensure my Ministerial colleagues are aware. I understand that the original licensing consent for the Cambo oil field dates back to 2001 and the project is going through normal regulatory processes. The decision on whether to grant consent to Cambo oil field will be taken by the Oil and Gas Authority, who are ultimately responsible, rather than the Secretary of State. 

While I am pleased that the Government is working hard to drive down demand for fossil fuels, I do also appreciate that there will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming years, as recognised by the independent Climate Change Committee.  

At the moment this country has a need for specialist coal for operations such as steel making it would not help the environment to stop mining it in this country to only import it from China. That would also transfer employment from the UK to China.