§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will 175W take steps to prevent ships using British ports from polluting the water by sewage and oil and also seek powers to widen the scope of the Clean Air Act, 1956 to prevent such vessels from polluting the atmosphere; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerAs regards the discharge of sewage from ships in port, I expect to announce shortly the Government's conclusions on the main recommendations of the Working Party on Sewage Disposal, which considered this matter, among others. The Oil in Navigable Waters Acts confer upon harbour authorities adequate powers to prevent pollution of their waters by oil. Under the Clean Air Act, 1956, it is an offence to emit dark smoke from vessels in ports. This provision does not need widening, but I have recently received representations about difficulties arising over enforcement in certain cases, and these I am considering.