§ 6. Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Transport what further consideration he has given to the designation of sea routes for large crude oil carrying tankers west of the Hebrides and clear of the Minch; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Nicholas Ridley)Surveys carried out under the Government's civil hydrography programme have confirmed that there is a route of sufficient depth for deep draught vessels to the west of the outer Hebrides. The surveys were completed last autumn, and relevant charts have been updated to show the area surveyed and to make it clear that it is suitable for deep-draught vessels.
§ Mr. KennedyI thank the Secretary of State for that reply and for the written answers that I received last year from his hon. Friend the Minister of State. Will the Secretary of State clarify whether he enjoys the power to make those routes statutory, or is his power simply advisory? Concern has been expressed that the Government do not have the statutory power to enforce rerouting outwith the Minch and west of the Hebrides. There is evidence that the French Government, in the wake of the Amoco Cadiz catastrophe, were able to take such power. What is the Government's position?
§ Mr. RidleyI am advised that I do not have powers to close a route to traffic, so I cannot do more than advise traffic as to the preferable route. Obviously I cannot answer for the French Government. They may have different powers. We are dealing with international traffic, so the question of powers does not seem to me to be one that we should raise at this time.