§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Minister for Energy what progress has been made towards establishing a compensation fund for oil pollution damage originating from industrial operations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.
§ Mr. David HowellNine North-West European countries have agreed in principle on the setting up of an international working party to study the situation and possibly to draft a convention. My Department is looking to the offshore oil industry to provide voluntary cover in the meantime: an industry scheme is in advanced draft form and should be in force before oil production starts.