§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what steps he intends 47W to take to provide additional salvage facilities and resources to the south coast of England to deal with accidents involving oil tankers to minimise the degree of coastal pollution;
(2) if, in the light of recent incidents, he is satisfied that sufficient expert salvage facilities are available at all times to deal with oil tanker casualties which present a serious pollution threat;
(3) if, in the light of the difficulties of finding ports of refuge which are prepared to accept damaged oil tankers with the result that these may have to be towed some considerable distance, with the attendant risks of pollution and further accidents, to ports outside the United Kingdom, he will review his policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisOn 2nd August, my right hon. Friend announced that, as part of the follow-up to the Government's review of the contingency arrangements for dealing with oil Pollution, a detailed review of salvage arrangements, including the resources available, is in hand. We are well advanced with this work, which embraces the matters referred to in the hon. Member's Questions and includes proposals for the holding of specialised equipment by my Department which can be used by commercial salvors to augment their own resources.
§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department has yet made an assessment of the extent to which the risk of pollution could be reduced by alternative levels of expenditure as proposed in the report "Accidents at Sea Causing Oil Pollution" published by his Department in July.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisOn 2nd August, my right hon. Friend announced that, as part of the follow-up to the Government's review of the contingency arrangements for dealing with oil pollution, proposals are to be worked out for an increase in the existing capability for dealing with oil pollution at sea with minimum harm to fisheries. That work is at an advanced stage.