§ Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out in tabular form the energy savings in the United Kingdom which have been made in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total annual savings in each case can be attributed to (a) price effects. (b) the international recession, (c) saturation effects in energy demand and (d) the Government's "Save It" campaign.
§ Mr. EadieEnergy savings on a national scale are usually taken to be the difference between the actual level of energy consumption and an estimate of what would have been consumed under similar general economic circumstances, if the energy crisis and its consequences in terms of energy price increases, the Government's "Save It" campaign, etc., had not existed. According to this definition the reductions in primary energy consumption in 1974 have been estimated to be about 4 per cent., 6 per cent. In 1975, and 6 per cent. or more in 1976, but these estimates are subject to a wide margin of error—about ± 4 per cent.—as indicated in the reply to my hon. Friend's Question of 11th May—[Vol. 931, c.553–4]—the table from which is given below for ease of reference, and with the addition of ± signs where appropriate. It is at present not possible to distinguish between the many different factors which have contributed to these estimates, but the method of calculation makes an approximate allowance for the economic recession.