36. Mr. Geoffrey Wilsonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to enable him to provide assistance, financial and otherwise, to local authorities to help them in the difficult and expensive task of clearing bathing beaches polluted with oil washed in from the sea.
§ Mr. MarplesMy right hon. Friend has been sorry to hear of this difficulty, but he is afraid there are no resources available to help local authorities to meet the cost of clearance. He understands, however, that his hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is investigating the problem of pollution.
Mr. WilsonIs my hon. Friend aware that the Minister of Transport says that he has no funds either? Is it not time that somebody did assist the local authorities in this matter?
§ Mr. MarplesI agree that this is a large and difficult problem for the local authority, but it may be better to approach it at the source of pollution and to remedy it there. That is what the Minister of Transport are trying to do.