§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the number of supply vessels, additional to those currently in service, that will be required in relation to development in the Scottish sector of North Sea oil between 1980 and 1990.
§ Mr. GrayIt is not possible to forecast over such a time scale the number of supply vessels that will be required on the United Kingdom continental shelf. However, I understand that the current level of demand for these vessels is expected to broadly continue over the next two or three years. This should mean a market for over 100 ships within which the available United Kingdom fleet is likely to remain fully engaged.