HC Deb 04 August 1980 vol 990 cc37-8W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many participation agreements have been negotiated between the British National Oil Company and companies operating on the continental shelf; and whether provision has been made in all or any of them for the benefit to be assigned or transferred to a third party at his choice.

Mr. Gray

Participation agreements have been concluded with the 62 companies listed in appendix 13 to my report to Parliament of July 1979 "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF COAL, COKE AND BRIQUETTES* 1979
'000 tonnes Imports £ million (cif) £/tonne '000 tonnes Exports £ million (fob) £/tonne
Belgium/Luxembourg 14,099 502 35.6 1,147 52 45.5
Denmark 7,729 138 17.9 61 4 59.0
Federal Republic of Germany 10,587 243 23.0 27,789 1,256 45.2
France 29,530 783 26.5 2,191 102 46.5
Ireland 1,288 46 35.6 245 8 33.8
Italy 14,158 422 29.8 659 34 52.1
Netherlands 7,727 219 28.3 1,895 58 30.7
United Kingdom 4,741 157 33.1 3,254 101 31.0
European Community 89,859 2,510 27.9 37,241 1,615 43.4
* Division 32 of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 2). The figures include intra-Community trade.

Source: Eurostat.

Kingdom"—the "Brown Book". Most of the agreements entitle the British National Oil Corporation, subject to various qualifications, to assign all or part of its rights under the agreements to a subsidiary, to another State corporation or to a subsidiary of another State corporation.