HC Deb 22 January 1979 vol 961 cc13-4W
Mrs. Winifred Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if a disaster on a similar scale to that which occurred to the "Amoco Cadiz" took place off the North-East coast of Scotland who would be in charge of operations to deal with it, and, in particular, how many miles of boom, how many ships, "honey wagons", road and rail tankers, and dump trucks would be available.

Mr. Clinton Davis

Should there be an abnormally large spill off the North-East coast of Scotland in any way comparable to that of the "Amoco Cadiz", clean-up operations at sea would be directed by the marine pollution control unit being established by my Department. Clean-up operations close inshore and on shore would be the responsibility of the maritime local authorities concerned, with the support of the Scottish Office. The Scottish Office and the other environment Departments are currently consulting the local authority associations to see whether any improvements can be made in the present arrangements for beach cleaning following a major spill. There would be close liaison and co-operation between operations at sea and on land.

Although it is not possible to make precise estimates, in such circumstances substantial resources, including the Government's stockpile of more sophisticated and expensive items of beach cleaning equipment, would progressively be brought to bear both from the immediate locality and from further afield, even overseas.

Mr. Grimond

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will commission further research into methods for dealing with pollution caused by bunker oil.

Mr. Clinton Davis

I refer the right hon. Member to paragraphs 14 and 15 of the Government's Reply to the Fourth Report from the Select Committee on Science and Technology on the "Eleni V" incident—Cmnd. 7429, which deals with the scope for improving in the short term the methods available for dealing with heavy oils, including fuel oils, at sea.

We are reviewing the Government's research and development programme on methods of dealing with oil spills at sea as part of the follow up work to the report "Accidents at Sea Causing Oil Pollution: Review of Contingency Measures", which was published last August. We hope to publish the results next month.

Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department has concluded discussions with the Treasury and the Department of Industry over expansion of Warren Spring laboratory's research and development programme into oil pollution control and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Clinton Davis

We are reviewing the Government's research and development programme on methods of dealing with oil spills at sea as part of the follow up work to the report, "Accidents at Sea Causing Oil Pollution: Review of Contingency Measures", which was published last August: we hope to publish the results next month.