§ Mr. Bostonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement about the attempts of the Thames and Medway river authorities to trace the source of an oil slick covering about one square mile in the Thames estuary.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonI am sorry to say that neither the Port of London Authority nor the Medway Conservancy Board has been able to trace the source of this oil slick despite strenuous efforts on their part. The source is believed to have been an outward bound vessel which escaped detection in darkness.
§ Mr. Bostonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement about the renewed threat to parts of the South-East of England, particularly the Kent and Sussex coasts, of pollution by oil from the 'Torrey Canyon' and about the concern of the Nature Conservancy about 170W this; to what extent there is a renewed threat; and what steps are being taken to deal with it.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonThere is no present evidence of a renewed threat to the South-East of England by oil from the 'Torrey Canyon'. The Nature Conservancy's concern was with the original danger over 10 days ago and was expressed at that time by a call for volunteers to combat pollution. The danger seems to have receded but regular reconnaissance is being undertaken in the western part of the Channel.