§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the total share of the energy market which British Gas has had in each of the last five years compared with that of North sea oil, the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Board.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe percentage shares of United Kingdom final consumption of fuels and electricity covered by sales of gas by the British Gas Corporation and by electricity supplied by the Central Electricity Generating Board for the latest five complete years are as follows:
Percent 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 British Gas Corporation 30 29 29 28 28 Central Electricity Generating Board* 11 11 11 11 11 * Direct sales or via Area Boards. The figures include a small element of estimation. The corresponding contributions to final consumption of fuels and electricity from coal supplied by the National Coal Board and from United Kingdom North sea oil are not available on a comparable basis. Large quantities of NCB coal do not enter final consumption, but are used with imported coal for electricity generation and for the production of coke and other manufactured solid fuels. Similarly imported oils are used with United Kingdom North sea crude oil in refineries to manufacture products for inland consumption. In both cases it is not possible to identify separately the contributions made by the imported and home supply to the products finally consumed.