§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions his Department brought for illegal discharges of oil from ships in United Kingdom waters between 1978 and 1988.
§ Mr. McLoughlinFigures prior to 1983 are not readily available. Since 1983 no prosecutions have been brought by the Department which until April 1988 had to rely soley on reports by passing ships and aircraft. Because these proved to be insufficient to link slicks positively to particular ships, limited regular air surveillance patrols of United Kingdom waters by a specialist oil detecting aircraft of the Department's marine pollution control unit were then instituted on a trial basis. The development of the conduct of these patrols continues but it is too early to say whether they will lead either to ships being detected in the act of illegal discharge at sea or to successful prosecutions. Evidence of alleged offences in United Kingdom waters by passing non-United Kingdom ships has to be passed to the flag state of the vessel concerned. They cannot be prosecuted by Her Majesty's Government.