§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, who cannot be here, I have been asked to put the Question standing in his name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government who pays for services rendered when a tanker gets into trouble near British coasts and tugs and chemicals have to be provided to prevent pollution; and what steps are being taken to avoid these contingencies.]
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, the cost of dealing with oil pollution in these circumstances is borne by the Department of Trade and Industry, but every effort is made to secure reimbursement from those responsible for the pollution under the law and through the two voluntary schemes arranged by tanker owners and the international oil industry. On avoidance of accidents much work is going on in the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, in which Her Majesty's Government play a very full part. Her Majesty's Government have just concluded talks with France, Belgium and the Netherlands which reached a number of useful conclusions, including agreement to co-operate in identifying and warning other shipping of vessels proceeding against the prescribed direction of traffic flow.
§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that information.