To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the reduction in domestic production of natural gas on security of energy supply; and if he will make a statement. (259587)

Companies are bringing forward new gas supply infrastructure to meet the gradual decline in the UK’s stocks of indigenous gas. Our import capacity has increased by 400 per cent. in the last 10 years, and is now equivalent to some 120 per cent. of our annual gas consumption. In addition, 18 commercial gas storage projects are in different stages of development; if they were all to come forward they could give us storage capacity equivalent to some 20 per cent. of our current gas consumption by around 2020.