§ 6. Mr. Rhys Davies (for Mr. David Grenfell)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the severe oil pollution in Oxwich Bay, on the Gower coast, this week; whether any steps have been or are being 108 taken to ascertain who has been responsible for the discharge of oil in that vicinity; and whether an offence has been committed by the master of the vessel from which the oil has been discharged?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Dr. Burgin)Yes, Sir, the attention of the Board of Trade was called by the coastguard to the pollution which occurred at Oxwich Bay on 3rd May. Inquiries were made at once, but no evidence has been obtained to indicate that the pollution was caused by the discharge or escape of oil from any of the vessels known to have been in the vicinity at the time. An offence is committed under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922, if oil is discharged, or allowed to escape, directly or indirectly, into the territorial waters of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or the waters of harbours therein.