HL Deb 21 July 1993 vol 548 cc48-9WA
Lord Campbell of Croy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps are being taken to promote conditions which will enable MARPOL "Special Area" status to be applied to the North Sea in respect of oil discharges.

The Minister of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)

Harbour authorities and terminal operators are required to provide reception facilities for ships carrying oil residues and mixtures which contain oil. Information on facilities in United Kingdom ports collected by the Department of Transport is contained in the International Maritime Organisation Circular MEPC/Circ. 234 dated 15th August 1990, copies of which will be placed in the Library. The means of control adopted by the department to ensure that facilities are adequate do not require levels of utilisation to be recorded and such statistics are not available.

Lord Campbell of Croy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether application of MARPOL "Special Area" status to the North Sea in respect of discharges of oil is being delayed because reception facilities for oily wastes are still inadequate in United Kingdom and other relevant ports; and

What steps are being taken to promote conditions which will enable MARPOL "Special Area" status to be applied to the North Sea in respect of oil discharge.

The Earl of Caithness

The third international North Sea conference of ministers responsible for the protection of the North Sea environment, held in 1990 at the Hague, agreed that, instead of immediately seeking special-area status for the North Sea under Annex I (oil) of MARPOL, they would take concerted action within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to make discharge requirements for oily wastes and residues more stringent on a global basis. This was because, among other things, special-area status could increase the risk that ships would discharge such wastes in the approaches to the special area. The concerted action at IMO resulted in more stringent discharge requirements being introduced on 6th July 1993. The conference of ministers agreed in 1990 to evaluate the action taken within IMO at their intermediate meeting to be held in Copenhagen in December this year, and to decide which additional measures are required, including declaring the North Sea a special area under Annex I.