HC Deb 27 April 1989 vol 151 cc629-30W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often the anti-pollution aircraft has patrolled the Channel in the last six weeks.

Mr. Portillo

Since 9 March anti-pollution aircraft have carried out 6 patrols over the Channel. Two further planned patrols, on 21 and 22 April, were cancelled when the Department's contracted remote sensing aircraft was deployed to oil spill incidents in the Irish sea and North sea respectively.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department is participating in any review of the handling of major oil spills.

Mr. Portillo

The Department will contribute to the review being carried out by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Energy, on the handling by the oil industry of major spills from offshore installations.

So far as tanker casualties are concerned, the Government have long accepted the responsibility for dealing with major spills that threaten United Kingdom interests and the Department's marine pollution control unit is a full-time response organisation with specific responsibility for planning contingency arrangements and taking charge of counter-pollution operations. We review these arrangements carefully after every major incident.