§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet Care for the Wild and other charitable organisations involved to discuss costs incurred in their clean up operation of marine diesel fuel pollutants recently found off the coasts of Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
861W
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 1 February 1994]: No. While I recognise the value of the work done by charitable organisations in this field, when they decide to help in clean-up operations they bear the costs themselves. They may have a claim for compensation from the polluter if he can be identified. Beach samples from the affected areas of coastline in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been sent to the Laboratory of the Government Chemist for analysis, and the results are awaited. If it proves possible to trace the polluter, the Department of Transport would consider submitting a combined claim from all those organisations including Care for the Wild who have been involved in clean up activity as a result of these recent incidents.