§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, from international sources available, he will state the number and location of oil refineries for the supply of low sulphur fuel oil and other products, which are presently under construction in Western Europe.
§ Mr. EmeryThe construction of new oil refineries or extensions of existing refineries at some 90 sites in Western Europe have been reported as planned or in progress in the past year. Most refining involves the reduction of the sulphur content of the products. The overall European refinery picture is too complex to be easily summarised, and I am sending the hon. Member details from technical publications.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the growth in world demand for low sulphur fuel oil over the next decade; and in which markets he expects the greatest growth of demand.
§ Mr. EmeryI have made no such estimate. It is difficult to be precise as to where one would expect to see the greatest growth of demand for low sulphur fuel, not least because there is no internationally accepted figure of what level of sulphur allows the definition "low sulphur fuel".