§ 16. Major SALMONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any of His Majesty's ships are at present fitted with separators for preventing the discharge overboard of oily water and oily Waste of all kinds, as distinguished from separators for dealing with lubricating oil; and, if the ships are not so fitted, whether steps will be taken to fit economical and effective separators on board?
Mr. ALEXANDERHis Majesty's ships are not fitted with separators for dealing primarily with water contaminated by oil fuel. Strict regulations are in force to prevent the discharge of any oily refuse into the sea from His Majesty's ships within 50 miles of any coast. Further, no necessity arises for discharge of appreciable amounts of oily refuse from His Majesty's ships into the sea since oil-separating barges are available at the principal naval bases. It is not considered necessary, therefore, to fit separators of this type in His Majesty's ships.
§ Major SALMONIs it not a fact that there is a great amount of oil and oily water discharged into the sea; and is it not also a fact that there are separators in existence which could be used to prevent this oil being deposited in the sea and thus affecting the birds?
Mr. ALEXANDERI am aware of the experiments which have been carried out with different forms of apparatus. I can only say that the strict regulations under which the Admiralty work make it unnecessary for us to go any further than we do go in this matter. At all the principal naval bases we are using separating apparatus.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs it not the case that a very little oil covers an enormous area of sea and that thousands of gulls perish as a result?