HL Deb 19 November 2003 vol 654 cc316-7WA
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether waste from ships imported for breaking will subsequently be exported to the country from which it came. [HL5449]

Lord Whitty

No. In most cases, the majority of the waste arising from ships will comprise steel, which can be recovered or recycled together with relatively small quantities of wastes for disposal. Overall though the import of the waste ship may be classed as waste moving for recovery. The return of waste as part of the transfrontier movement is not normally envisaged. The United Kingdom has a policy of not exporting waste for disposal.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there was any official or unofficial written or verbal discussion between the United Kingdom and United States Governments prior to November 2003 on the issues of the "ghost fleet" disposal. [HL5451]

Lord Whitty

There has been a regular dialogue between the UK authorities including the Environment Agency and those in the US both before and during November 2003.