§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he makes of the quantities of hydrates contained in ocean sediments around the waters of the United Kingdom which could be commercially exploited to produce fuel; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what technological advice and financial support his Department is preparing to give to companies active in the North sea to assist them to explore for hydrates which can be turned into fuel; and if he will make a statement;
§ Mr. Page[holding answer 27 February 1995]: The Department of Trade and Industry, and its predecessor the Department of Energy, has funded research into the systematic mapping of the UK continental shelf over the last three decades ending in the early 1990s. No evidence was found to indicate the presence of hydrates. Further research is under way but not funded by the DTI.