Captain BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to prevent the destruction of fish and birds and the pollution of harbours by waste oil released by vessels at sea?
§ Mr. BALDWINA Bill has been prepared to deal with the discharge of oil in navigable waters, and I hope it will be possible to introduce it shortly.
Captain BENNasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what Regulations are in force in the Navy to prevent the destruction of fish and sea-birds and the pollution of harbours by the discharge of waste oil?
§ Mr. AMERYAs stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Morpeth on the 31st May last, stringent Regulations have been issued from time to time by the Admiralty with a view to prevention of pollution of harbours, docks, and waterways and1812W damage to fisheries by oil fuel, oily ballast water, etc. All complaints on this subject have been carefully investigated, and it has been clearly established on each occasion that the Regulations have been strictly complied with by His Majesty's ships. The Regulations, a copy of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member, contain no reference to sea-birds, but it is presumed that there is no necessity for the issue of special supplementary Regulations dealing with their case.