Law of the Sea Conference (Hansard, 20 July 1977)

§ Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what proposals have emerged from the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference for the financing of the proposed Sea Bed Authority; and what is the policy of the United Kingdom on this matter;

(2) what proposals have been made by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference for the powers and functions of the proposed Sea Bed Authority; and what is the policy of the United Kingdom on these proposals;

(3) what proposals have been made by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference with respect to the effect of sea bed mining on land based producers of minerals to be found beneath the oceans, notably copper, manganese and nickel; and what is the policy of the United Kingdom on these proposals;

(4) what progress has been made by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference on proposals for the exploitation of the sea bed, outside national jurisdiction; whether pre-eminence will be given to the Sea Bed Authority to exercise full and effective control, or whether exploitation will be handed over to private corporations; and what is the United Kingdom policy on these issues;

(5) what will be the legal status of the proposed 200-mile offshore exclusive economic zone; what rights and duties other states, particularly land-locked States, are expected to have in that zone, in accordance with proposals now being considered by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference; and what is the policy of the United Kingdom on these issues;

(6) what proposals have been made by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference for the settlement of sea bed disputes arising from sea bed mining or related activities; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards these proposals;

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(7) what proposals have been made by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference on the right of land-locked States to access to and from the sea; and what is the United Kingdom policy on such proposals;

(8) what final definition of the Continental Shelf has been arrived at by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea; and if the United Kingdom agrees with this definition;

(9) what limitations arc envisaged by the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference on the right of passage through straits used for international navigation; and if the United Kingdom accepts the validity of such limitations;

(10) what is the policy of the United Kingdom towards the proposed delimitation of marine zones, such as the territorial sea, the economic zone and the Continental Shelf between States adjacent to one another along a coastline or facing one another across a body of water;

(11) what is the policy of the United Kingdom towards the proposed balance of authority between coastal States, flag States, and port States in regard to legislation and enforcement of pollution standard, particularly pollution caused by ships;

(12) what is United Kingdom policy on the rights which a coastal State should have, by withdrawing its consent, to prevent foreign nationals from carrying out research in its economic zone or Continental Shelf;

(13) what proposals have been made by the United Kingdom to the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference for promoting international co-operation in the development and transfer of marine technology, and particularly the transfer to developing countries of skills relating to sea bed exploration and exploitation.