HC Deb 12 March 1971 vol 813 c194W
Mr. Laurance Reed

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department has made of the vortex or whirlpool principles of collecting and separating spilled oil on the open sea.

Mr. Anthony Grant

The principle of collecting oil from the surface of the sea by creating a vortex was invented by the Admiralty Materials Laboratory. The Department of Trade and Industry has placed a contract with the laboratory for the construction of a full-scale prototype of a device for the recovery of spilt oil based on this principle.