§ 8. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any complaints respecting the discharge of oil within 50 miles of the coast of Great Britain; and, if so, what action he has taken in the matter?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMComplaints are received from time to time and, where the waters affected are within the limit 814 of a harbour, the attention of the Harbour Authority is drawn to the complaint. Proceedings have been taken in a number of these cases by the Harbour Authorities. Reports of oil which has drifted ashore or has been observed at a distance from the coast, outside harbour limits, are occasionally received, but owing to the difficulty of tracing the vessels which discharge the oil, it has not been possible to take action. The number of complaints has decreased during the last two years.
§ Sir COOPER RAWSONIs not the proper alternative the compulsory fitting of separators in ships?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThat matter also has been discussed, but there are difficulties in securing the application of that proposal. I can only assure the hon. Member that the matter was kept before us in the preparation of this reply.
§ Sir BURTON CHADWICKWould it not be quite impossible to impose upon British shipowners the necessity of fitting oil separators?
§ Captain GUNSTONIf ships discharge oil outside the three miles limit, is it possible to take action against them?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI should like notice of that question. No doubt that raises points which were not before us when this answer was drafted.
§ 9. Captain MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade what numbers of inspections of vessels and premises have been made by his Department in the present year under the provisions of the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo inspections of the kind mentioned have been made in the present year.