Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department is making with the sale of the Oil and Pipelines Agency; and if he will make a statement. [185105]

Mr Dunne, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (including Defence Exports): The Government has included clauses within the Energy Act to enable the sale of the Government Pipeline and Storage System (GPSS) which is managed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by the Oil and Pipelines Agency. Preparation for the sale of the GPSS has been conducted in parallel with the legislation but some areas of work are still ongoing.

A final decision on the sale has not yet been made. MOD officials are developing the case for sale alongside colleagues from Her Majesty's Treasury, the Department for Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Transport and the Cabinet Office.

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