§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the most recent figures available to him of the numbers of personnel working offshore on the United Kingdom continental shelf; how many are (a) United Kingdom nationals, (b) European Economic Community nationals other than United Kingdom, (c) United States nationals and (d) others; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe numbers requested are as follows:
Personnel offshore on 30 September 1986 Totals of which, on fixed installations United Kingdom citizens 10,742 6,119 European Community nationals (excluding United Kingdom citizens) 436 153 United States nationals 90 24 Others 458 88 11,726 6,384 These figures have been extracted from the Inland Revenue's 1986 survey of the offshore work force, which covers construction workers and personnel on fixed installations, mobile drilling rigs, service vessels and support barges. The only non-EC countries with more than 40 nationals on the UKCS at the time of the survey were Norway (230 personnel, three on fixed installations), the USA (90 personnel, 24 on fixed installations) and Sweden (79 personnel, two on fixed installations). The figures given are of personnel counted; in reporting its survey the Inland Revenue's practice is to multiply the total counted by 1.9 to allow for shift working and seasonal variations.
The entry and stay of non-EC nationals in the United Kingdom is controlled by the Home Office under the Immigration Act 1971. The Act does not extend offshore.