HC Deb 06 March 1990 vol 168 cc549-50W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the United Kingdom's preparedness to deal with an oil spill at sea has been reviewed in the light of recent tanker accidents.

Mr. McLoughlin

Contingency arrangements to deal with pollution at sea in United Kingdom waters are kept under constant review by the Department's marine pollution control unit (MPCU) which was set up in 1979 with specific responsibility to do so and to take charge of operations.

A thorough examination covering United Kingdom counterpollution responsibilities, communications and resources has been carried out. As a result of this the capability of the MPCU to deal with major oil spills is being increased by doubling its contracted aerial dispersant spraying capacity by the use of larger aircraft. The unit's ability to detect oil slicks at sea is also being doubled by increasing to two its complement of remote sensing aircraft, which are used to control and direct counterpollution operations. Additionally this enhanced remote sensing capability will be used to increase by more than 60 per cent. regular aerial surveillance patrols of United Kingdom waters to deter and detect ships making illegal operational discharges of oil. Overall spending in 1990–91 will depend on the number of incidents in the year but is expected to be of the order of £4 million.