HC Deb 01 June 1981 vol 5 cc635-6
12. Mr. Emery

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take action to overcome the dangers of oil spillage in Lyme Bay.

Mr. Eyre

My Department is monitoring closely the ship to ship transfer operations in Lyme Bay and the Department's surveyors carry out periodic inspections to ensure that agreed procedures and standards are maintained.

Mr. Emery

Will my hon. Friend accept that there is a vast increase of ships anchoring in Lyme Bay due to both the problems of tankers and of oil supply? His Department, in evidence to the Select Committee on 26 March last year, suggested that increased powers would assist in achieving greater safety. Does my hon. Friend not feel that it is time that the Government acted to bring these powers on to the statute book?

Mr. Eyre

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern about this matter which involves serious environmental considerations for Lyme Bay. I shall ask my noble Friend, who has ministerial responsibility for these matters, to consider carefully my hon. Friend's point. My information is that high standards have been maintained by the operating companies which deal with this work in Lyme Bay. I assure my hon. Friend that the most stringent periodic checks are carried out by inspectors from my Department.

Mr. Adley

Is my hon. Friend aware that hon. Members, such as my hon. Friend and I, representing coastal constituencies, are faced with a constant fear of disaster through the movement of oil tankers? Will he comment on the accession of Greece to the EEC? In view of Greece's poor record, what action is proposed by the Department to impose the highest standards on Greek-owned and operated oil tankers?

Mr. Eyre

I shall be glad to answer any detailed question that my hon. Friend wishes to raise about the accession of Greece to the European Community if he puts down a question. I wish to reassure him about the situation in Lyme Bay. As he knows, specially equipped vessels are available at Brixham, Poole, Southampton and Plymouth to deal with any spillage that might occur.