§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress was made towards a world agreement on ocean dumping at the recent conference in London at which his Department was represented; and if he is satisfied with the outcome.
§ Mr. RipponThe conference adopted the text of a Convention controlling all deliberate dumping of wastes at sea. None of the 80 States present dissented from the text and 57, including almost all major industrial and shipping nations, signed the Final Act. Copies of the text have been placed in the Library, and the Convention will be open by the end of the year for signature by any State. I am sure that the House will share my satisfaction with the result and note with pleasure the gratitude expressed by the conference for the part that this country and its representatives played in achieving it.