§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries have signed the amendments to the Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1969; which signatories have ratified the agreement to date; and how many ratifications are required before the amendments can come into force.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantThe 1969 amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954, as amended in 1962, were adopted by the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation in accordance with Article XVI(2) of the Convention. They will come into force 12 months after they have been accepted by 29 of the Contracting Governments. So far they have been accepted by Iceland, the Malagasy Republic, Denmark, Japan, United Kingdom, Norway and the U.S.S.R.
§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports of oil at sea or on beaches were recorded by the Coastguard Service during 1971; and how this compares with the number recorded in 1970.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantThe Department recorded 275 reports of oil at sea or on beaches during 1971, compared with 337 such reports during 1970.