Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has condemned the Energy Secretary for announcing the approval of the Jackdaw gas field to the media before informing Members of Parliament, describing the move as "shameful" in a statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Sir Lindsay criticised Miatta Fahnbulleh, the MP for Peckham, for failing to appear in Parliament to make a statement on the decision. Instead, she sent her junior minister while she conducted media interviews and visited Shell UK's St Fergus Gas Terminal in Aberdeenshire.
Speaker's Rebuke
Sir Lindsay said: "It is shameful that this statement was not made to the House [of Commons] first and it is an immense discourtesy to the House that the Secretary of State did not come here to make the statement."
He added: "I'm sorry that Sky News is more important rather than the members of both sides."
"It is simply not good enough that it was trailed by the press last night and announced all over the media this morning by the Secretary of State before it could be properly scrutinised in this House," he said.
Government's Decision
The Government's plans to approve the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea were widely reported on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, Ms Fahnbulleh took part in media interviews to defend the decision following backlash from environmental campaigners.
Ms Fahnbulleh backed the scheme, which is expected to start supplying gas to British homes and firms within weeks. She is now under pressure to approve the separate Rosebank oil and gas field as a further sign of commitment to the North Sea and domestic energy production.
Reaction and Next Steps
The Government announced a new fund to funnel North Sea tax revenues into green energy schemes, but the Prime Minister was condemned by environmental groups for the decision to back Jackdaw.
The approval ends months of speculation about the future of the Jackdaw project, which owner Adura said could deliver around 6% of UK North Sea gas production.
Sir Lindsay added: "I'm sure there will be a leak inquiry, or is it that this department is deliberately briefing out to the media?"
Energy minister Michael Shanks, who was present in the chamber ahead of his statement on Jackdaw, said he would take the comments back to his department.
