HL Deb 20 December 1966 vol 278 c1954

2.37 p.m.

VISCOUNT HALL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there has been a review of the prospects of large quantities of natural gas being won from the North Sea explorations; and if so, whether they can now state how the future power generation programme of the United Kingdom will be balanced between gas, coal, nuclear energy and oil.]

LORD CHAMPION

My Lords, good progress is being made in the search for North Sea gas, and it is believed that six of the fields so far discovered will prove to be commercial. It is too soon to estimate how much gas will eventually be available, but planning is geared to the assumption that at least 1,000 million cubic feet a day, equivalent to a heat value of some 13 million tons of coal a year, will be available by 1970. It is in the light of these prospects for North Sea gas and of other recent developments that my right honourable friend the Minister of Power is at present reviewing fuel policy. This review will of course include consideration of the balance of use of the different primary fuels by the electricity supply industry, and it is not yet possible to make a statement.

VISCOUNT HALL

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his helpful reply.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, is it not fair to say that, in view of the new discovery of gas from the North Sea, together with the development of nuclear energy, the closure of mines which The National Plan foresaw will be further accelerated by 1970?

LORD CHAMPION

My Lords, it might have a marginal effect, but it is thought that obtaining natural gas supplies equivalent in heat value to 13 million tons of coal, which I mentioned, will affect oil very much more than it will the use of the indigenous fuel of coal.