HC Deb 22 January 1998 vol 304 c649W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people are employed in the United Kingdom gas industry; and how many of these are employed in gas-fired power generation. [24318]

Mr. Battle

[holding answer 21 January 1998]: The latest available data show that in September 1996 38,300 people were employed in the downstream gas industry (i.e. the manufacture, transportation, distribution and supply of gaseous fuels). Those employed in gas fired power generation are regarded as part of the electricity generation industry and are not separately distinguished in centrally held statistics. However, it is estimated that around 700 people were needed to operate the 19 combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) stations owned by the major power producers in Great Britain that were producing at the end of 1996.