North Sea (Hansard, 26 May 1988)

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State ior the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress 299W made nationally and internationally on action agreed at the first intergovernmental conference to protect the North sea.

§ Mr. Moynihan
Progress made nationally and internationally on action agreed at the first intergovernmental conference to protect the North sea (the Bremen conference) was reported on and reviewed by the second international conference on the protection of the North sea in London in November 1987. This is reflected in the programme of further action in many of the areas covered by the Bremen declaration which is set out in the ministerial declaration issued at the London conference, copies of which are in the Library.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the atmospheric pollutants which he believes need to be reduced, or, if appropriate, to be eliminated in order to protect the maritime environment of the North sea.

§ Mr. Moynihan
There is great uncertainty about the quantities of atmospheric pollutants entering the North sea and therefore uncertainty in the efficacy of reducing emissions in protecting the sea from pollution. However, the United Kingdom is already committed to a precautionary policy to reduce airborne emissions, illustrated by the investment of £1 billion by CEGB on flue-gas desulphurisation and on low-NO_x burners. It also participates in the work of the Paris commission on the monitoring and deposition modelling of heavy metals and has increased its research efforts to improve our understanding of the interaction of atmospheric pollutants with the marine environment.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the use of best available technology to reduce nutrients in discharges from waste water treatment plants whose effluent enters the North sea.

§ Mr. Moynihan
The Government are participating fully in the Paris commission working group on nutrients and in discussions in other international forums concerning nutrients discharged into marine waters. The North sea declaration calls for reduction of inputs of nutrients into areas where these are likely to cause pollution. A review of nutrient concentrations in United Kingdom estuarial and coastal waters is being carried out under the auspices of the marine pollution monitoring and management group. The Government will consider if there are specific actions needed in the light of this.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the most dangerous substances from which it is necessary to protect the North sea and for which adherence to a precautionary approach to pollution control is necessary.

§ Mr. Moynihan
The ministerial declaration following the second international conference on the protection of the North sea in London (copies of which are in the Library) identified substances which are persistent, toxic and liable to bioaccumulate. Annex A of the declaration lists examples of those substances which are already the subject of specific action. Annex B lists examples of other potentially significant pollutants where it was agreed to consider what further action might be taken to reduce300W inputs. The United Kingdom is drawing up a list of the most dangerous substances for priority action, which will be called the red list.
The United Kingdom Government has taken an early lead in implementing this part of the declaration and their proposals are set out in the guidance note on the ministerial declaration published on 3 February 1988, copies of which are also in the Library.