To make provision about licences to search and bore for and get offshore petroleum.
The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill creates a licensing system for offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction, setting out how licences to search, bore and obtain offshore petroleum would be granted, supervised and enforced. It is being considered in the Lords at committee stage after passing the Commons, and has seen amendments debated along with cross‑party voting in recent divisions.
The bill has progressed through its readings and is currently at the Lords’ committee stage for detailed scrutiny. Previous divisions show amendments were rejected, while the bill itself received strong support at the Lords’ Third Reading, with further scrutiny expected in committee.
In early stages, votes were mixed across parties (e.g., Second Reading: 293 Aye, 211 No; Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading: 209 Aye, 292 No). In the Lords, committee amendments were defeated (Amendment 17: 226 Aye, 287 No; Amendment 10: 44 Aye, 285 No), and the Third Reading passed (286 Aye, 221 No), reflecting cross‑party support but not strict party discipline overall.
Generated 21 February 2026
Based on 5 recorded votes • Sorted by % Aye
The 2023-24 session of Parliament has prorogued and this bill will make no further progress.