§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will institute a programme to investigate the feasibility of building, in British shipyards, submarine oil tankers to extract oil from the North Sea.
§ Mr. John SmithMy Department has not as yet identified a requirement, in practical or economic terms, for submarine oil tankers for use in the North Sea. Until there is some indication of such a requirement it would be premature to institute a programme.