§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the scope and the level of funding for research projects commissioned by his Department from groups led by Messrs. Lawrence Draper and Malcolm Tucker; and what work Messrs. Draper and Tucker are currently doing for his Department.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonIn the period from 1977 to date my Department has commissioned research at the Institute of Oceanographic Sciencies (IOS) involving Messrs. Lawrence Draper and Malcolm Tucker on the measurement and analysis of wave climate in United Kingdom waters and the kinetics of waves. The level of funding for this work is in excess of £2 million.
Mr. Malcolm Tucker, who retired from IOS in 1986, is currently retained as a consultant by my Department to 694W provide expert advice on environmental data. Mr. Lawrence Draper is currently associated with three IOS projects funded by my Department covering wave climate measurements around the United Kingdom, guidance on oceanographic design parameters and provision of expert advice on oceanography.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is his assessment of the importance of the data on wave climate collected by Messrs. Lawrence Draper and Malcolm Tucker of the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences to the development of oil and gas reserves in the North Sea;
(2) if he will give an estimate of the value, in terms of lives saved, oil and gas production and economic benefit, of the availability of wave data prior to the exploitation of Britain's offshore oil and gas reserves.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonMy Department—advised on safety research and development by technology boards with members from the oil industry, the certifying authorities and the academic world—has identified specific projects relating to wave data which have contributed to the safe and economic design of offshore structures.