Natural Gas

HC Deb 07 December 1978 vol 959 cc1610-2

13. Mr. John Ellis

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what talks he has had regarding policy in regard to future use of natural gas in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Concannon

I have had talks with representatives of the Northern Ireland Gas Employers Board, the Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland, the General and Municipal Workers' Union, the Belfast city council gas department employees, the Northern Ireland coal trade and several community groups.

Mr. Ellis

When does my right hon. Friend expect to be able to make a statement? Before he makes his statement, will he bear in mind that the cost of taking natural gas to Northern Ireland would run into many millions of pounds and that by the time the installations were completed it might be that the natural gas would be nearing depletion? Will he bear all these matters in mind?

Mr. Concannon

I hope to put the Government's proposals to the House early in the new year. I cannot commit myself to an exact date now. All the relevant factors, including the factor to which my hon. Friend has drawn my attention, must be considered thoroughly.

Mr. Powell

Should it not be made clear that in the long term there is no conflict between the supply of natural gas in Northern Ireland and the consumption of coal in the Province, and that these are essentially distinct markets?

Mr. Concannon

During my meetings with various bodies it has been pointed out to me that there is a surplus of energy in Northern Ireland and that anything that we do to help bring forward one source of energy will be only to the detriment of one or more of the other sources.

Mr. Farr

As the right hon. Gentleman said in July 1977 that this issue would receive his attention, will he try to make a statement before the early part of next year? The matter is vital. The possibility of establishing a gas link between the mainland and Northern Ireland is extremely important.

Mr. Concannon

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have put some hard work into the project. As I have said, there is a surplus of energy in Northern Ireland. We are subsidising to the tune of £250 million one of the other sources of energy. When I started on this venture I had in mind a time scale of three months. However, every move that I made seemed to bring me up against another brick wall. I hope to announce our proposals to the House in early January.

Mr. Fitt

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Energy Commission within the EEC has recently discussed the problem and has indicated its willingness to provide substantial funds for the erection of the gas pipeline, whether that be from existing sources or from the newly developed Morecambe field, which I understand is to be opened up quite soon?

Mr. Concannon

As I have said, the problem in Northern Ireland is the cost of energy and what will happen to certain sources of energy if we introduce another subsidised source of energy.