Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Friday Volume 567 6 September 2013 No. 45 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Friday 6 September 2013 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2013 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 589 6 SEPTEMBER 2013 590 House of Commons Deep Sea Mining Bill Friday 6 September 2013 9.47 am Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con): I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Mining is not a new industry, certainly not for us in Cornwall. There is a saying, “Wherever there is a hole in PRAYERS the ground, there will be a Cornish miner at the bottom of it.” With over 4,000 years of history, the Cornwall [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] and West Devon mining landscape became a world heritage site in 2006, and I was very proud to be a Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con): I beg to move, councillor on Caradon district council when that was That the House sit in private. decided. Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163). The Cornish have emigrated all over the world to give their expertise in mining, and today have vibrant The House divided: Ayes 0, Noes 33. communities as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. Division No. 76] [9.34 am They still celebrate their fantastic Cornish pride and heritage in those communities. AYES Tellers for the Ayes: Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con): I cannot Jacob Rees-Mogg and remember whether I picked this up in 1981 when the Mr David Nuttall Deep Sea Mining (Temporary Provisions) Act 1981 was passed by this House, but I think I am right in saying that most of the exploration that has been going on NOES under the international authority is in the central Indian Baker, Norman Hollobone, Mr Philip basin of the Indian ocean, and in the northern part of Barker, rh Gregory Hunt, rh Mr Jeremy the Pacific ocean, in the Clarion Clipperton zone. If Bottomley, Sir Peter Hurd, Mr Nick there are Cornish miners there, I send them my best Brennan, Kevin Jenkin, Mr Bernard wishes; I hope they are swimming well. Brown, Mr Russell Lewis, Brandon Burt, Alistair Milton, Anne Sheryll Murray: My hon. Friend is absolutely correct. Coffey, Dr Thérèse Morris, Grahame M. Davies, Philip I am sure that they still pride themselves in taking their (Easington) lunch in the form of a Cornish pasty: the pastry protects Duncan, rh Mr Alan Murray, Sheryll what is inside from dirty hands. Pasties are something Elphicke, Charlie Pincher, Christopher else that we Cornish people are extremely proud of. Gardiner, Barry Randall, rh Mr John Gauke, Mr David Tami, Mark Gilmore, Sheila Vaizey, Mr Edward The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Grant, Mrs Helen Vara, Mr Shailesh and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt): I hope they Green, rh Damian Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa withstand high pressure. Hancock, Matthew Harris, Rebecca Tellers for the Noes: Sheryll Murray: Absolutely. Heath, Mr David Mr Robert Syms and Hoban, Mr Mark Mr Robert Goodwill It gives me great pride as a Cornishwoman to take this Bill forward in Parliament today. The concept of deep-sea mining is not new, but as we make technological The Speaker declared that the Question was not decided advances, this new industry is fast becoming a reality, because fewer than 40 Members had participated in the and I am keen that Britain should be at the forefront. Division (Standing Order No. 41). Everyone will know of my interest in the sea and the marine environment, and no one is more aware than me of the deep sea’s potential in contributing to the great expertise for which we are world-renowned. The United Kingdom is well placed to benefit strategically, economically and in employment terms, and to influence how deep-sea mining is taken forward. Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con): I congratulate my hon. Friend on bringing the Bill to the House. Is the Bill necessary because technology and particularly robotics miniaturisation mean that deep-sea mining can be done remotely so it can be done by an individual or an enterprise rather than its requiring governmental assistance? Sheryll Murray: My hon. Friend is partially correct. The Bill is all about exploitation. We have the potential in about five years’ time to start looking at exploitation. It is much better that the United Kingdom should 591 Deep Sea Mining Bill6 SEPTEMBER 2013 Deep Sea Mining Bill 592 [Sheryll Murray] mankind. One must be a signatory to the UN convention to be able to apply to the ISA for a licence. We, as a control the licence applications because we must be able signatory to UNCLOS, are in the best position to apply to control the environmental situation in which exploitation for the contract with the ISA on behalf of one of our and exploration are carried out. companies because we can then apply the most stringent and best environmental conditions. Sir Peter Bottomley: My hon. Friend probably already appreciates that we must change our provisions because Philip Davies: Does that mean that a company cannot the 1981 Act was passed before the establishment of the apply to the ISA for a licence without the sponsorship authority in Kingston, Jamaica, and we must meet our of a nation state, that it has to have the sponsorship of international obligations. It may also be worth observing its home country to be granted a licence? briefly that economics matter. When some years ago the price of metal commodities was going up, everyone Sheryll Murray: That is correct. I am sure that my thought that digging down into the oceans would be a hon. Friend the Minister will be able to expand on that good idea. Now that the commodity prices are not quite if he speaks. so high that may not happen, but at some stage the cycle may turn again and we may find some commercial exploitation. Sir Peter Bottomley: In time, my hon. Friend will get to paragraph 9 of the schedule, which states: Sheryll Murray: We are seeing a shortage of some “Omit section 9 (the deep sea mining levy) and section 10 (the metals, and the deep sea provides the opportunity to Deep Sea Mining Fund).” gather metals that are needed, particularly rare earths. I think that answers the issue raised by my hon. Friend The UK is well placed to influence how deep-sea the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies). Instead of mining is taken forward, what standards should apply money being paid to us for us to pay to the authority, it and how to minimise the impact on the environment. In will go straight to the authority. The licence has to be 2012, the UK sponsored its first application to the obtained from the national Government under legislation, International Seabed Authority for a UK company to but if payments become due, they will go straight to the explore for polymetallic nodules in the deep sea in the authority, which cuts out some of the bureaucracy. Pacific ocean, as my hon. Friend mentioned. The application was agreed and a contract was signed between the ISA Sheryll Murray: That is right, and of course this and the UK company. In 2013, the UK sponsored Government want to minimise bureaucracy as much as another application from the same company. That still possible. has to be considered by the ISA council, but the UK Government was able to sponsor and issue a licence to that company under the 1981Act. Mr Nuttall: As my hon. Friend will be aware, the United States of America has not signed or ratified the agreement, so will she explain the position of a company Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con): My hon. incorporated in the USA? Would it not have to apply to Friend makes a persuasive case for her Bill, but as she the international body? admits that an application has already been made under the existing Act and we have been able to proceed, why is it thought necessary to amend the Act? Sheryll Murray: I know that Secretary of State Clinton and the United States Administration were, as recently Sheryll Murray: The 1981 Act predates our signing as 2012, very keen to sign up to UNCLOS. It is not for up to the United Nations convention on the law of the me to make a judgment on that—it is up to the USA—but sea, so it is vital that we make these amendments to it. perhaps the Minister will expand on it later. Sir Peter Bottomley: Just to clear my mind by using Sir Peter Bottomley: Speaking as an historian, I point my mouth rather than just my ears, I think this is a very out that in 1994 the United States got a modification to conservative approach. We maintain what we have and the convention. Since 1997, even under George W. we improve it. Bush, the recommendation has been that the United States should sign it. It has not got around to it yet, but Sheryll Murray: My hon. Friend is correct. I understand that that is its intention. My hon. Friend The UK was able to sponsor and issue a licence to the Minister will probably cover the issue of whether a that company under the existing Act, which became US company could apply to another Government for valid only upon the issue of a contract by the ISA.