HC Deb 29 July 1971 vol 822 c152W
56. Sir T. Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimate of birds killed or having to be destroyed in the past five years as a result of oil slicks at sea, and poisoning by detergents used on land.

Mrs. Thatcher

An estimated 60,000 birds have been found dead or have had to be destroyed. This excludes oiled birds lost at sea and the relatively few birds poisoned by detergents.

57. Sir T. Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will give instructions for the rapid dispersal of oil slicks near concentrations of seabirds, such as Noss in the Shetland Islands, which, while not threatening damage to beaches, may destroy birdlife.

Mrs. Thatcher

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I are giving urgent attention to this problem and have identified a number of areas where seabirds are likely to be threatened by oil slicks. There remain a number of problems to be resolved but we hope to be in a position to make suitable arrangements shortly for dealing with such oil slicks.