§ 25 and 26. Mr. D. Priceasked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what he estimates will be the total inland energy requirements of the nation in 1965, expressed in coal equivalents; and how these requirements will be divided between the main category of consumers;
(2) from what sources, and in what quantities, he estimates that the 1965 inland energy requirements of the nation will be met.
§ The Minister of Fuel and Power (Mr. Aubrey Jones)On the assumptions of rapid and continuous economic growth and continued progress in fuel efficiency, inland fuel requirements in 1965 might exceed 300 million tons of coal equivalent a year, of which half might be needed by industry and a quarter by households.
I am in no position to estimate with any accuracy coal output in 1965, but I would hope that at least 75 per cent. of these requirements would come from home-produced coal and 3 per cent. from nuclear power and hydro-electricity. In that case, we should have to look to oil for about 22 per cent. of our requirements.
§ Mr. PriceCould my right hon. Friend give a little more information as to how these coal demands will be met in view of the rather pessimistic information that has come out in recent reports?
§ Mr. JonesIn suggesting that we should look to coal for 75 per cent. of our requirements, I was giving a conservative estimate. My desire is to increase the output of coal as far as possible. I should like to make it perfectly clear that in so far as we cannot do that we are dependent on imported fuel, that is, oil.