To ask the President of the Board of Trade if consortia from the 14th licensing round who withdraw will be given the opportunity to resubmit their applications.

No consortium has withdrawn as a whole from any application made under the 14th offshore licensing round.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account his Department takes of withdrawal of consortia from one bid for North sea licences when considering granting approval to that consortia for other bids.

No account will be taken of the withdrawal of a company from one or more of its sole or consortium applications under the 14th offshore licensing round when considering any other applications it has made.