asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government intend to go ahead with the proposal to pipe gas from the Kinsale field in the Irish Republic to Northern Ireland.

Subject to the negotiation of acceptable terms of supply from the Irish authorities, the Government do intend to proceed with this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of (a) bringing a gas pipeline from the border with the Irish Republic to Belfast, (b) refurbishing the existing network of distribution pipes and (c) laying new pipelines to consumers who as yet are not served by the existing system; what information he has as to the cost of bringing a gas pipeline from Dublin to the border with Northern Ireland; and whether it is proposed that the United Kingdom Government should pay any part of the latter cost.

Preliminary estimates of the capital costs associated with the proposals to bring natural gas to Northern ireland from the Republic of Ireland are available at October 1981 prices. These estimates include the following items:

(a) Provision of a gas pipeline from the Border with the Republic of Ireland with associated transmission line to Belfast—£16 million.

(b) Refurbishing the existing network of distribution pipes—£12 million.

(c) Laying pipelines and services to new consumers—£43 million.

The construction of a pipeline from Dublin to Border is a matter for the authorities in the Republic of Ireland. The proposals for the supply of gas to Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland include provision for the payment of a capital contribution toward the cost incurred by the Irish authorities in constructing the pipeline required to convey the gas to the border. The charge per therm supplied would also include an element of contribution towards that cost.