Oil Mop Device (Hansard, 13 November 1978)

§ Mr. Adley
asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington,Official Report, 7th November, column 145, what is the difference in the technology offered to his Department by Oil Recovery International of Christchurch, Dorset, and Oil Mop Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington,Official Report, 7th. November, column 85W 145, with which individuals of his Department conducted negotiations in dealing with the subsidiary of Oil Mop Incorporated.

§ Mr. Clinton Davis
I understand that the insurers of the "Eleni V," on the advice of the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, contracted with OMI Ltd. to supply and operate, with the agreement of Waveney district council, the "Oil Mop" devices in question off North Lowestoft beach. The Government were not involved in the negotiation of this contract.
The devices available from Oil Mop (UK) Ltd. and from OMI Ltd. are based on very much the same technological principles. They are suitable for use close inshore in sheltered waters: consequently, my Department, which is responsible for dealing with oil at sea, is unlikely to have occasion to make use of them.

§ Mr. Adley
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department has been in negotiation with any former Government employees concerning the oil mop device.

§ Mr. Clinton Davis
The Warren Spring Laboratory, which acts as my Department's scientific and technical advisers on oil pollution matters, has evaluated the

IDENTIFIABLE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE† PER HEAD, BY SECTOR(current prices)

1976–77 1977–78*

England Scotland Wales England Scotland Wales

£ £ £ £ £ £

Central Government … 451 586 576 508 654 681

Local authorities … 282 332 283 294 363 286

Certain public corporations … 17 24 16 15 20 17

Total … 750 942 875 817 1,037 984

* Provisional.

† Identifiable public expenditure excludes debt interest and expenditure on defence and overseas services, which is incurred on behalf of the United Kingdom as a whole, and is expenditure which can be identified from official records as having been incurred in a particular country. The extent to which expenditure can be identified varies between countries and from year to year and the coverage of the figures may therefore vary even where similar services are being provided. The figures otherwise use the definitions of "The Government's Expenditure Plans. 1978–79 to 1981–82", (Cmnd. 7049).

IDENTIFIABLE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE† PER HEAD, BY SECTOR(current prices)
		1976–77	1977–78*
		England	Scotland	Wales	England	Scotland	Wales
		£	£	£	£	£	£
Central Government	…	451	586	576	508	654	681
Local authorities	…	282	332	283	294	363	286
Certain public corporations	…	17	24	16	15	20	17
Total	…	750	942	875	817	1,037	984
* Provisional.
† Identifiable public expenditure excludes debt interest and expenditure on defence and overseas services, which is incurred on behalf of the United Kingdom as a whole, and is expenditure which can be identified from official records as having been incurred in a particular country. The extent to which expenditure can be identified varies between countries and from year to year and the coverage of the figures may therefore vary even where similar services are being provided. The figures otherwise use the definitions of "The Government's Expenditure Plans. 1978–79 to 1981–82", (Cmnd. 7049).