§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes that the private sector should have freedom to construct gas pipelines to locations on the Continent if commercial considerations warrant, or whether the British Gas Corporation or local marketeers serving industrial sites in the United Kingdom will retain first option over supply.
§ Mr. GrayThe level of supplies from existing fields is inadequate, as it is, to meet all the demands of British industry, and it will soon be declining. There is thus plenty of scope for additional sales of gas within the United Kingdom. If the fresh impetus which our policies w ill give to exploration results, as we hope, in large volumes of new gas being discovered, the question of exports will be considered then.