asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the measures which the Government propose to take to see that the contributions of gas to the United Kingdom's national energy supplies is maintained at least at its present level; and if he will provide comparable information for each of the other eight member States of the EEC.
British Gas's existing contracts are sufficient to allow gas supplies to be maintained at least at their present level until well into the 1980s. Further supplies will come from known reserves which are not yet under contract. It is the Government's objective to maintain supplies for as long as possible. With that objective in mind they will duly encourage offshore exploration and development and are considering the scope for schemes to collect the smaller deposits of gas from the Northern Basin with Government support. BGC will continue to seek opportunities to purchase gas from abroad where such gas can be purchased at an acceptable price.Information on EEC member States' energy programmes is available in R/1959/77 (ENER 81), the Commission's second report on the achievement of Community energy policy objectives for 1985, which is in the Library.