§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many United Kingdom citizens are currently employed in oil and gas-related occupations, including management, in all sectors of the North Sea;
(2) how many United Kingdom citizens are currently employed in oil and gas-related occupations, including management, in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea;
66W(3) how many foreign nationals are currently employed in oil and gas-related occupations, including management, in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea.
§ Mr. GoldingI have been asked to reply.
I regret that the information requested is not available, but in the 1976 Brown Book it was estimated that an average of 6,300 workers were employed in 1975 on offshore installations covered by the Mineral Working Offshore Installations Act, and I expect the work force to be currently of the same order of magnitude. It is not possible to distinguish foreign workers.
In addition there are substantial numbers employed offshore—for example, on pipe-laying barges—outside the scope of the Act.