RE: 33rd Licensing Round13 Aug 2023 14:21
Regarding a public consultation - I think that what I said makes sense, but I am open to comments from anyone who can see where my thinking is wrong.
Think about this - had the NSTA previously (i.e. when they announced the start of the process of the 33rd Round) said that there would be a public consultation?
If anyone knows that the answer is yes they did, then you need read no further, please post a link to where they said it and then I can let this matter drop.
Why are they having a public consultation?
Do they need to get permission from the public for granting the licences for new gas and oil exploration? Sunak seemed definite with his talk of over 100 new licences. If he said that they were conditional on a public consultation, i missed that in the news reports.
However, a few days ago I heard on the R4 Today programme about another promise of Sunak's that he sound definite about. He had said he would move heaven and Earth to make it happen. That's sounds pretty definite. Guess what, it didn't happen.
What if the result of the consultation is that the public say no to new exploration - will the NSTA (or is it Sunak, there's a mystery there) ignore their views and say, "Well you are having it anyway"?
If they do that, then what is the point of the consultation?
Over the last twenty years, I have noticed many examples of promises made by politicians that turned out to be all hot air, all talk but no action. You must have noticed them too, but I hope I am wrong to be so suspicious and that this public consultation is in reality a PR exercise to persuade the public of the benefits of new exploration. The "consultation" bit is bluff, it is just to tell them, "Look, this is what we are doing and here's why you should welcome it".