asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest forecasts available for North Sea oil production for the next five years; and for how long he calculates, on the basis of present estimates, that the United Kingdom can remain self-sufficient in oil.

The latest published forecasts of United Kingdom continental shelf oil production are those contained in this year's Brown Book. Next year's Brown Book will contain revised forecasts.I expect that the United Kingdom will achieve net self-sufficiency in oil in 1980. How long this continues will depend on many factors, but the United Kingdom continental shelf will clearly continue to make a very large contribution to our oil requirements for many years.