§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the quarterly returns from oil companies are sent to the Scottish or London offices of the Offshore Supplies Office; and which office is responsible for their analysis.
§ Mr. John SmithThe quarterly returns are sent to the headquarters of the Offshore Supplies Office in Glasgow, which is also responsible for their analysis.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish an analysis or abstract of quarterly or annual returns submitted by oil companies licensed for offshore operations, omitting confidential commercial information if necessary.
§ Mr. John SmithWhen the oil companies' returns to the Offshore Supplies Office for the last quarter of 1974 have been analysed I shall arrange for an abstract covering the year as a whole to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish 529W the quarterly returns submitted by oil companies licensed for offshore operations.
§ Mr. John SmithNo. These returns contain a good deal of commercially confidential information.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proposals he or the Offshore Supplies Office has for increasing the number of Scottish firms engaged in oil activity in Scotland;
(2) what efforts have been made by the Offshore Supplies Office to meet the needs of Scotland and other development areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John SmithThe entire effort of the Offshore Supplies Office, working with the Scottish, Welsh and English regional offices of the Department of Industry, is directed to promoting the opportunities for British firms to supply the offshore oil and gas market. It was in recognition of the particular importance of the market for Scottish firms that the headquarters of the Offshore Supplies Office was moved to Glasgow last year. The full range of regional assistance under the Industry Act is available to firms in the assisted areas.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps the Offshore Supplies Office is taking to ensure continuity of employment in platform construction yards after the anticipated five to 15 years' operation.
§ Mr. John SmithIn the long term it is hoped that the encouragement provided by the Offshore Supplies Office and the expertise developed by firms through their involvement in North Sea work will enable them to compete successfully in the worldwide offshore market when the North Sea commitment starts to diminish. The Offshore Supplies Office is, of course, ready to advise a platform contractor on diversification into other offshore activities should this prove feasible and appropriate.