HC Deb 19 November 1987 vol 122 cc652-4W
16. Mr. Darling

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has held with other Fisheries Ministers of North sea countries regarding the problems of marine pollution.

Mr. Gummer

Last month I met Professor Topfer, the Federal German Environment Minister, to discuss the forthcoming North sea conference and last week I called on the Danish Fisheries and Agriculture Ministers in Copenhagen for talks on a range of environmental issues. Marine pollution is also included in the agenda for the EC Fisheries Council on 24 November.

21. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspectors are employed by his Department to ensure that the Oslo and London dumping conventions are respected in British ports and waters over which Britain has jurisdiction; and how many(a) regular and (b) random checks they make annually.

Mr. Gummer

Five scientific staff in my Department are authorised to carry out technical inspections in England and Wales and in addition 23 officers of the sea fisheries inspectorate hold authorisations to enforce the Food and Environment Protection Act. In 1986, a large number of regular inspection were carried out by scientific staff, including 63 involving liquid industrial wastes, the most important category. About half of these were not notified in advance. Additionally, the fisheries inspectorate undertook 26 formal inspections of licensed operations, including the investigation of suspicious activities reported by fishermen and other mariners, most of which were notified in advance.

Arrangements in Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

23. Mr. Allan Roberts

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has recently met the National Farmers Union to discuss river pollution caused by agriculture.

Mr. Gummer

I met the vice-president of the National Farmers Union informally on 13 October, when we discussed a number of water pollution issues.

28. Ms. Quin

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what work he is carrying out to develop techniques for minimising the environmental effects of farm waste.

Mr. Gummer

My Department is engaged on a major programme of research and development aimed at minimising the environmental effects of farm waste. In particular, work is in hand on the measurement and reduction of odour from animal slurries, cost-effective means of reducing silage effluent, the quantification and reduction of nitrogen losses from excreta, and the incorporation or alternative utilisation of straw.

34. Mr. Ernie Ross

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what expenditure he expects his Ministry to incur in the financial year 1988–89 in the control of pollution in the North sea.

Mr. Gummer

My Department's work on this will cost some £1.6 million in 1988–89.

38. Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sewage sludge is dumped at sea by the United Kingdom.

Mr. Gummer

Some 10.1 million tonnes of sewage sludge were dumped at sea by the United Kingdom in 1986.

40 Mr. Henderson

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the effect of sewage sludge dumping on the marine ecosystem.

Mr. Gummer

Minor effects such as local chemical and biological changes to the sea bed may be observed close to disposal sites. However, monitoring of fish in the areas concerned shows that their quality is not adversely affected, and that away from the immediate vicinity of the disposal site there is little or no detectable effect.

43. Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to control marine pollution in the North sea.

Mr. Gummer

In pursuit of my statutory responsibilities for controls over the disposal of waste at sea, this Department continues to ensure compliance with the Oslo and London dumping conventions and to subject proposed sea disposal operations to careful scientific scrutiny under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The amount of liquid industrial waste disposed of at sea by the United Kingdom fell by half between 1980 and 1986, and the trace quantities of mercury and cadmium in sewage sludge disposed of at sea were reduced by over 60 per cent. in the same period. Controls over anti-fouling paints, including a ban on the sale and use of Tributyl Tin products on small boats have been introduced under part III of the Act. Acting jointly with the Department of the Environment, this Department has tightened limits on the discharge of radioactive substances to sea such that the quality status report prepared for the ministerial North sea conference records a marked reduction in levels of man-made radioactivity in the North sea over the last three years. The same report shows clearly that continental rivers are the most important source of man-made contaminants in the North sea.

62. Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the effect of pollution on fish stocks in the North sea.

Mr. Gummer

Extensive scientific studies suggest that pollution in the North sea has a negligible effect upon fish stocks.

64. Ms. Walley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to reduce pollution incidents from farms.

Mr. Gummer

The Ministry continues to undertake research and provide advice to farmers on how to reduce all forms of farm pollution. Additionally, I am considering with colleagues the recommendation made in the third report of the House of Commons Environment Committee aimed at reducing water pollution.