More drilling in North Sea OK, but ban on new licences stays

The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has returned from the Cop30 climate conference in Brazil, where he championed the UK's world-leading promise to ban all new oil and gas licences and backed the call for a blueprint to "transition away from fossil fuels".

- Helena Horton

Back home, the government says it is sticking to its manifesto pledge of no new licences - but it still plans to allow some new drilling in oil and gas fields that already have existing licences.

The government has ruled out new North Sea oil and gas exploration or lower taxes for fossil fuel companies as it struggles to protect workers from the industry's collapse.

In a new strategy paper Ed Miliband confirmed the crackdown on new North Sea exploration - though the energy secretary will still allow new offshore fossil fuel projects to move ahead as long as they are linked to existing fields.

The strategy was released with Rachel Reeves's budget statement, which ended months of speculation over the future of the North Sea industry by confirming the government's intention to ban new oil and gas licences to explore new fields, and keep tax rates in place.

Labour swept to power with a promise to end new exploration drilling and a pledge to work with oil and gas companies to manage the North Sea's remaining lifespan.