asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the extraction rate of the num- ber of barrels of oil which is sufficient to run the United Kingdom economy.

In 1979 it is expected that the United Kingdom will consume about 1·9 million barrels of crude oil per day and produce around 1·5 to 1·6 million barrels per day. However, United Kingdom refineries require a mix of crude oils including types not produced on the United Kingdom continental shelf and there will always be a requirement to import a certain amount of crude oil.