To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, how many days' oil supply companies are required to maintain for emergency purposes.

Orders made under the Energy Act 1976 require contingency oil stocks to be held by all companies supplying petroleum products to the United Kingdom market if their total deliveries exceed 50,000 tonnes per annum. Refiners must hold stocks equivalent to 76·5 days of their previous calendar year deliveries; non-refiners must hold 66 days.