§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will inquire into the cause of the oil pollution of the Thames estuary and Canvey Island's beaches on 8th-9th July; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisI have been asked to reply.
The cause appears to have been an escape of oil through an open ballast valve in a tanker discharging at the oil terminal at Coryton. Oil on the beaches was cleared by the Canvey Island authorities and in the Thames estuary by the Port of London Authority. The PLA is prosecuting the ship believed to have been responsible.