§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the role performed by his officials in the monitoring of the area above and on the sea-bed surrounding the wreckage of Piper Alpha; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangIn the period following the incident on 6 July 1988 to February 1989 the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, in co-operation with the operators Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd., carried out surveys of debris and other samples from the Piper Alpha site for possible polychlorinated byphenyl (PCB) and radioactive contamination. Details of the work carried out
NCC Advisory Committee for Scotland Name Occupation Employer Appointment ends A. R. Trotter (Chairman) Estate Manager Not known 31 March 1990 J. M. S. Arnott Vice-Chairman Countryside Commission for Scotland, manager (Edinburgh) for BBC Scotland (part-time) Not known 31 March 1990 J. C. Compton Farmer and landowner Not known 31 March 1990 Professor P. S. Corbet Biologist (formerly University of Dundee) Not known 31 March 1990 A. D. M. Farquharson Chartered surveyor, Fanner, forester Not known 31 March 1990 J. L. Goodfellow Past Vice-President National Fanners' Union of Scotland. Retired farmer Not known 31 March 1990 J. R. Johnstone Industrialist Landowner Not known 31 August 1989 Dr. R. C. Kirkwood Reader in Biology University of Strathclyde 31 March 1992 Professor J. B. L. Matthews Director, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory NERC 31 March 1992 Mrs. E. Macdonald Crofter Not known 31 March 1992 Councillor D. J. McPherson Vice-Convenor Highland Regional Council Not known 31 March 1992 Professor I. Parsons Professor of Mineralogy University of Edinburgh 31 March 1991 Professor W. Ritchie Professor of Physical Geography University of Aberdeen 31 March 1990 J. H. Scott Farmer and landowner Not known 31 March 1990 Dr. E. A. Smith Director, Development Trust University of Aberdeen 31 March 1992 Professor T. C. Smout Historian University of St. Andrews 31 March 1991 Miss V. M. Thorn Author and consultant on interpretative planning Not known 31 March 1990 Members of NCC's advisory committee for Scotland are not nominated for appointment. Instead they are appointed by the Nature Conservancy Council with the approval of the Secretary of State for Scotland.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro), 11 July,Official Report, column
646Wand of the results of these surveys were given in scientific reports published on 6 June (copies of which have been placed in the Library).
Further monitoring and surveys are being carried out by the operators in compliance with conditions attached to the approval for the abandonment programme granted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy under the Petroleum Act 1987. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate were consulted on the monitoring requirements and will advise as appropriate on the results as and when available.
Monitoring of the area may also be carried out in due course as part of the general monitoring of sea waters around Scotland on behalf of this Department.