§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the number of jobs created by the development of the 45 gas fields which the British Gas Corporation assessed would be needed to exploit United Kingdom North sea reserves; and how many additional jobs there will he as a result of his decision to cancel the Sleipner contract.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithMany thousands of new jobs will flow from new projects at both the construction and servicing stages. I am confident that British industry is sufficiently competitive to attract a high proportion of the available orders. The Sleipner decision will accelerate the development of United Kingdom gasfields and associated job creation.
§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Energy what new pipeline systems will be required to develop United Kingdom gas reserves, in the light of his decision to cancel the Sleipner contract.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe development of UKCS gasfields following the Sleipner decision is expected to result in the need for new pipelines. Some new projects will rely on spare capacity as it develops in existing pipelines. The precise pattern of new pipeline systems will emerge as new gasfield developments come forward.