§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on British Gas's proposal to buy gas from the Sleipner field in the Norwegian sector of the North sea.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithCommercial negotiations between BGC and the Norwegian Sleipner partners have reached the point where the main elements of a possible agreement have been identified, although nothing has been finalised. The wider implications of a potential major gas purchase such as Sleipner need to be studied carefully.