§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the total investment made by each of the following in North Sea oil exploration and development (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Esso, (d) Conoco, (e) Mobil, (f) Gulf, (g) Texaco, (h) the British National Oil Corporation, (i) French oil companies, (j) German oil companies, (k) British independent oil companies, (l) British banks, (m) American banks, (n) British insurance companies, (o) other British companies and (p) the International Energy Bank.
§ Mr. GrayPublication of estimates in the detail requested made from the exploration and field expenditures that are collected by my Department would involve a breach of statutory confidentiality.
§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many officials at principal level and above are dealing with North Sea development; how many have held jobs in the oil industry; and whether these divisions of his Department are understaffed.
§ Mr. GraySeventy-seven staff at principal level and above in my Department are directly involved in North Sea development. Of these 16 have held jobs in the oil industry. The petroleum engineering division has about 20 petroleum specialist vacancies.
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§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Energy what further consideration he has given to his policy for developing marginal oilfields since he received the study group's first report in January.
§ Mr. GrayThe oil industry has made proposals for assisting marginal fields in recent submissions to my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and to myself on the structure of the North Sea fiscal regime. These proposals are now being examined.