OFFSHORE INDUSTRY
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements his Department has in place with (a) NATO and (b) Norway for the defence of maritime offshore installations in the North Sea.
Mr Mark Francois, Minister of State for the Armed Forces: The Ministry Of Defence provides support to the civil powers by protecting UK-owned maritime offshore installations; routine bilateral engagement takes place with those nations (including Norway and our NATO partners) which have an interest in these arrangements.