§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what reason there is for the inclusion of natural gas within the PRT provisions, in view of the British Gas Corporation's position as a monopoly buyer of natural gas able to settle the price under Section 9 of the Continental Shelf Act 1964.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI have been asked to reply.
The exclusion of natural gas could create anomalies. Gas fields already in production will benefit from the exemption of deliveries before 13th November and the allowance of the whole of their past capital expenditure against subsequent deliveries.