§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many oil exploration and drilling installations and platforms operating under licence in each offshore block have deposited oil spill contingency plans with his Department; and if he will place a sample contingency plan in the Library. [8363]
§ Mr. Page[holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department currently has 77 oil spill contingency plans from operators of offshore installations. Although this number may seem small when compared to the number of offshore installations operating on the United Kingdom continental shelf, some plans cover more than one installation. It is a requirement of the development approval that an acceptable oil spill contingency plan is in place before an installation can produce oil.
As each plan relates to the specific circumstances it is to address it is difficult to identify a representative "sample" plan. However, I will place in the Library of the House, a copy of the oil spill contingency plan from BP Operating Company Limited on the Foinaven field development with its consent.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact on the marine environment of oil spills and discharges from offshore oil platforms since the publication of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution's eighth report on oil pollution of the sea, Cmnd. 8358. [8360]
§ Mr. Page[holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department has a research and development budget which it uses, in conjunction with other Government Department's and the oil and gas industry, for environmental projects. The most recently completed project was a study into the effects of drill cuttings piles, a copy of which I will place in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many reports of oil discharges from licensed offshore platforms were made in each year since 1979 to Her Majesty's Government, by the appointed offshore installations manager. [8356]
§ Mr. PageFigures relating to the number of oil discharges from offshore installations reported to my 389W Department from a variety of sources, are published annually in the "Energy Report", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
My Department maintains a record of the reports from installations which reported an oil spill, but this report need not be made by the appointed offshore installation manager. The records do not always record the status of the reporter.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions for the discharge of environmentally hazardous toxic substances under health and safety at work legislation have been brought against operators of offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf since 1990. [8361]
§ Mr. Page[holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department is not responsible for the prosecution of offences under health and safety at work legislation.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many vessels are currently on standby to respond to oil spill incidents from our near offshore oil platforms in(a) the North sea, (b) the north Atlantic and (c) Cardigan bay; and what was the cost of maintaining these vessels in each of the last three years. [8362]
§ Mr. Page[holding answer 10 December 1996]: There are currently six dedicated oil recovery vessels which are employed to respond to oil spill incidents from or near offshore oil platforms on the UKCS. Four vessels are dedicated on field in sensitive areas—Cardigan bay and the Moray firth—and two are roving vessels which routinely patrol the UKCS. In addition, many of the installation standby vessels are equipped to respond to small spills.
Costs are attributable to industry and are therefore not readily available.