HC Deb 17 July 2003 vol 409 cc508-9W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry where the gas delivered to the UK will come from in(a) 2005,(b) 2010 and (c) 2015; and what percentage of t he gas will be delivered from each location. [125578]

Mr. Timms

Future gas supplies to the UK will be a commercial matter for energy companies in the competitive marketplace.

The most recent view of the future gas supply demand balance anticipates that the UK will again become a net gas importer (on an annual basis) after 2005. We have already depended on imported gas in some winter quarters. It is anticipated that the UK will remain self-sufficient until 2005, with our import dependency expected to rise to around 50 per cent. in 2010 and 80 per cent. in 2015.

The UK already receives imports from Norway, and there are active treaty discussions with Norway that would facilitate further imports. A proposed gas inter connector from the Netherlands would enable gas from there to be supplied to the UK. In the longer term, British suppliers may contract for pipeline gas from Russia, from other former Soviet Union countries, from Middle Eastern suppliers such as Iran, and from elsewhere.

The Energy White Paper noted that expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market would contribute to diversity and security and would provide competition to piped gas. There are three active projects considering LNG imports to the UK. One aims to bring LNG from Qatar; the other two have not yet publicly committed to particular sources of gas. LNG imports could come from a variety of Atlantic Basin or Middle East sources. Some of the closest include Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria—countries all with significant LNG expansion plans.

The Energy White Paper also sets out our strategy for encouraging the development of a competitive international market place, and for monitoring developments affecting the reliability of energy supplies.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contingency plans she will put in place to ensure that energy is delivered to households in the UK in the event that future foreign gas supplies are interrupted. [125580]

Mr. Timms

The Government are committed to attracting diverse and reliable future sources of gas supply to the UK.

In the event of gas shortage, Transco, the operators of the national gas transmission system, have well-established procedures. These procedures are designed to ensure that domestic supplies are taken off only as a last resort.

These plans are tested regularly and, under the auspices of the Gas Industry Emergency Committee, they are reviewed continually to ensure that they take account of changes in the market and infrastructure.

Copies of the plans are available in the Libraries of the House.