§ Dr. Owenasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the expected annual production of North Sea oil for the years 1980 to 1990 inclusive under current policies; and what is the expected annual import of oil for the years 1980 to 1990 and the expected annual export of North Sea oil for the years 1980 to 1990.
§ Mr. David HowellAnnual forecasts of North Sea oil production are subject to such margins of error that year by year figures for 10 years ahead have never been published. Estimates for import and exports would be subject to an even larger margin of error. Forecast ranges of possible United Kingdom oil production levels to 1983 are in the 1979 Brown Book: these are under review.
19W"Energy Projections 1979" a copy of which is available in the Library, gives, in the context of the total energy prospects of the United Kingdom, estimates of United Kingdom oil production and consumption in 1990, but these are in reality subject to very great uncertainty.