§ Mr. Mortonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now able to announce the terms of reference of the proposed inquiry by the Royal Commission on environmental pollution into marine oil pollution.
§ Mr. ShoreFollowing the Government's review last year of contingency arrangements for dealing with oil pollution, my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Trade indicated in the written answer that he gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dearne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 2 August 1978 that the Government hoped at a later stage to have advice from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.
The Royal Commission is now nearing the end of its current work, and I have accordingly asked them to proceed with their study of marine oil pollution with the following terms of reference:
To examine the effects of routine discharges and accidental spills of oil on the marine environment; to consider the measures for controlling such discharges and combating such spills; and to make recommendations.Action has recently been taken, or is in hand, further to improve the contingency arrangements for dealing with oil spillages at sea. We shall continue to press ahead with improvements that can be made within the framework of present policies.