§ Sir C. Osborneasked the Minister of Power what: discussions he has had with the Gas Council regarding recent talks in London between the Gas Council and the Netherlands Petroleum Company regarding the Dutch offer to provide half Great Britain's gas requirements from the new natural gas fields in North Holland; what information he has as to how much cheaper Dutch gas would be than Saharan gas; and what estimate he has made of the effect of these proposals on the future level of British coal production.
§ Mr. ErrollThe Council has kept me informed about its discussions with the Dutch companies. These have been exploratory and without commitment; I am therefore not able to reply to the second and third parts of the Question.