North Sea Conference (Hansard, 16 May 1995)

§ Mr. Tyler
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he will be making concerning protection of the marine environment at the North sea, ministerial conference on 8 and 9 June. [24524]

§ Dr. Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be his policy objectives for the fourth North sea conference on 8 and 9 June. [24808]

§ Mr. Gummer
I have placed in the Library a statement of the policy objectives of the United Kingdom for the fourth international conference on the protection of the North sea. The topics which we expect to be discussed, and the main points that the United Kingdom would wish to achieve, are:

(a) protection of species and habitats: action on the protection of wildlife outside territorial waters, which, with the protection inside territorial waters already offered by the EC birds and habitats directives, will constitute a comprehensive strategy for this purpose;

(b) fisheries: getting the European Commission to propose measures to control over-fishing, especially in industrial fisheries, and to carry out more research into the effects of industrial fisheries and how to regulate them;

(c) prevention of pollution by hazardous substances: a practical approach built on the concept of sustainable development and the precautionary principle, which aims for goals that are capable of being achieved; and agreement on the urgent need for internationally coordinated research to improve our knowledge of the possible effects of some chemicals on reproductive systems;

(d) further eduction of nutrient inputs to the North sea: bearing in mind that the United Kingdom does not contribute to problems in, eg, the German bight and the Kateggat, strategies that are aimed at solving the problems actually faced by different countries; these should address, where appropriate, the problems of agricultural run-off, particularly where this results from unsustainable agriculture supported by feed from industrial fishing;

(e) the prevention of pollution from shipping: the need to complete the international framework—for example, ratifying conventions already agreed and completing a 184 hazardous and noxious substance convention—and effective enforcement by flag, coastal and port sates;

(f) the prevention of pollution from offshore installations: commitment to agreeing, if possible by 1996, a harmonised mandatory control scheme for chemicals used and discharged offshore; there is not need for further action on the abandonment of oil rigs, since we have a recent international convention which provides for case-by-case decisions;

(g) radioactive substances; the need for commitment by the North sea states who are not members of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the safety fundamentals for radioactive waste recently adopted by the board, and support for the IAEA process aimed at a global convention on radioactive waste management;

(h) future co-operation: acceptance of Norway's generous offer to host a fifth North sea conference in 2000–2002, and to link this much more closely with the work of the convention for the protection of marine environment of the north-east Atlantic, the OSPAR convention.