§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Seretary of State for Defence what is the average annual cost of protecting North Sea oil and gas installations (a) by air and (b) by sea, giving a breakdown into the capital cost of equipment used, and running costs.
§ Mr. SpeedThe estimated running costs in the current financial year of the defence resources employed on offshore protection duties by sea are £4 million, and by air £6 million. Of the total, some £3 million relates to the protection of oil and gas installations.
The additional information requested by the hon. Member in the latter part of his question is not readily available and could not be prepared without disproportionate effort.