§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the consumption of natural gas in the United Kingdom during each of the last five years; and what is the projected consumption during each of the next five years;
(2) what proportion of overall energy consumption in the United Kingdom was provided by nuclear power during each of the last five years; and what is the projected proportion during each of the next five years.
§ Mr. John SmithThe consumption of gas and the consumption of nuclear electricity on a primary fuel input basis are given in Table 1 of the Department of Energy's publication "Energy Trends", a copy of which is available from the Library of the House. The Department of Energy's evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology 539W (Energy Resources Sub Committee) published in a House of Commons paper (155-viii), which is also available from the House of Commons Library, gave forecasts of both gas and electricity consumption in the United Kingdom in 1980. Nuclear electricity's share of overall primary energy consumption is shown to rise from 3½ per cent. in 1975 to about 6½ per cent. in 1980. Forecasts of the consumption of gas and nuclear electricity in each of the next five years are not available.