asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that offshore hydrocarbon installations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf are secure against attack by terrorists.

Offshore oil and gas operators' responsibilities to safeguard their personnel and platforms and access to them are supplemented by regular surveillance and deterrent patrolling undertaken by Her Majesty's ships and aircraft. Operators can call upon the civil power for assistance and the civil power can call upon the Armed Services for support, including the deployment of shore-based reaction forces held at short notice. I am satisfied with these arrangements which are kept under regular review.