HC Deb 17 December 1984 vol 70 cc29-30W
Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the amount of North sea supply work secured by British-owned firms.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

In 1983 the total value of orders reported by operators for oil and gas development work on the United Kingdom continental shelf was £2.61 billion. British based companies won 72 per cent. — £1.88 billion—of these orders.

Separate records are not kept of the value of orders won by British owned companies.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list for the years 1975 to 1984 the numbers of workers employed in North sea related work (a) onshore in Scotland and (b) offshore.

Mr. Allan Stewart

I have been asked to reply.

The information in the form requested is not available. Total employment in firms in Scotland identified by the Manpower Services Commission as being wholly related to North sea oil and gas activity is estimated to have been as follows for the period 1975–1984.

June Thousands
1975 20.1
1976 27.1
1977 28.6
1978 34.0
1979 41.8
1980 46.3
1981 50.0
1982 58.3
1983 63.3
1984 64.0

These figures include offshore work undertaken by companies in Scotland but do not include employment in oil-related construction projects in Scotland or in firms partly involved in oil and oil-related activity.

Offshore employment in the United Kingdom sector of the northern North sea (ie the waters east of Scotland and in the Shetland basin) is estimated to have been in the following ranges.

Offshore Employment
June 1980 21,000 to 23,000
July 1981 23,000 to 25,500
July 1982 21,500 to 24,000
July 1983 26,500 to 28,500

The figures are based on the Inland Revenue survey of offshore employment in companies with offshore production and exploration licences for blocks on the UKCS. They should not be directly compared with the MSC figures on employment in wholly oil-related firms in Scotland because of differences in coverage and method of compilation.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many (a) pipe-laying barges, (b) oil rigs and (c) supply vessels now operating in the North sea are registered in Britain.

118. Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The information requested at November 1984 is, respectively,(a) None (b) 14 and (c)