To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has held discussions with (a) the Russian government and (b) the European Commission on recent statements of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that there were emerging risks surrounding stable gas supplies to Europe this winter. (280886)

[holding answer 22 June 2009]: The Government are working closely with EU partners to avoid a further interruption to European gas supplies. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the matter with President Barroso on 4 June 2009 and there has been subsequent discussion at both the Energy Council on 12 June 2009 and the European Council on 18 and 19 June 2009.

While the UK has had bilateral contacts at official level with both Russia and Ukraine, the first priority should be to establish the facts of the situation and the Government strongly supports the recent European Commission mission to Moscow and Kiev for this purpose.