asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the inter-governmental discussions on the defence of gas and oil installations in the North Sea.

Two conferences of representatives from North Sea countries have been held, at which a variety of problems associated with the peace-time protection of offshore installations was discusssed. The first was held in The Hague in June 1975, and the second, which I was able to open, was held in London in November 1975. The talks have been useful and wide ranging, and a further meeting is planned for later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what work is being carried out, or planned, by hydrographic ships of the Royal Navy for civil Departments; and who bears the expenditure for such work.

It is planned to continue work on surveying anticipated tow-out routes to facilitate the movement of production platforms from the coast of Scotland to the oil fields in the North Sea. These surveys will be paid for by the Department of Energy.