§ 94. Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's role in minimising the effect of pollution after accidents at sea.
§ Mr. PortilloThe Department of Transport, through its marine pollution control unit exercises the responsibility accepted by Government in 1969 following the Torrey Canyon disaster, for dealing with pollution at sea arising from a shipping accident.
Contracted aerial and vessel dispersant spraying resources, oil recovery equipment or cargo transfer equipment is deployed, as both necessary and practicable, for the clean-up at sea of oil from an accident which threatens United Kingdom coastal, fishery, seabird, ecological amenity or other interests.
The Secretary of State has wide statutory powers to give directions or to take direct action to counter pollution following marine accidents. These extend from directing the owner of a ship, the master or the salvor in possession to take or refrain from taking action of any kind whatsoever, to taking control of the ship or sinking or destroying it.