HC Deb 26 June 1981 vol 7 cc213-4W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list from 1974 the additions to gross national product of oil and gas production arising from the Scottish sector of the North Sea.

Mr. Peter Rees

I have been asked to reply.

The United Kingdom continental shelf is not divided into sectors which can be attributable to mainland regions.

It would in any case be impracticable to allocate the direct contribution to gross national product of oil and gas production to any particular geographical area. Estimates of the direct contribution of oil and gas production from the whole of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf to GNP in recent years can be found in table 4 of the 1981 edition of "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom", published by the Department of Energy. Forecasts of the direct contribution for the years 1981–84 are contained in "Economic Progress Report", March 1981, published by the Treasury.