§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken to prevent further discharge 360W of sludge from ships in Belfast Lough; what prosecutions have been instituted against those who have dumped sludge during the past three years in the vicinity of the North Down coast; on how many occasions this has occurred; and in what circumstances.
§ Mr. OrmeTwo vessels operating daily out of Belfast discharge sludge in deep water beyond a line from Orlock to Black Head. The dumping area is determined in accordance with the accepted practice in the United Kingdom.
There have been no prosecutions in respect of the dumping of sludge over the past three years in the lough. There was recently a case of sludge being discharged on the wrong side of the line. The captain of the vessel mistakenly considered that in a high tide when he was over the 10 fathoms mark he could discharge sludge although he had not passed into the permitted area beyond the line from Orlock to Black Head. He has been instructed to observe the rules in future.