§ Lord Elliott of Morpethasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outcome of the Third North Sea Conference at The Hague on 7th and 8th March.
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§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment represented the Government at the Third North Sea Conference in The Hague on 7th and 8th March.
This was a constructive conference, as a result of which the North Sea will be a cleaner and more wholesome sea. The United Kingdom was able to make a positive contribution to the outcome. The main features of the Final Declaration were as follows.
We confirmed our intention to end the dumping of industrial waste by the end of 1992, and to end the dumping of sewage sludge by the end of 1998.
We agreed on a strengthened approach to the reduction of nutrient inputs. In this, the decision that my right honourable friend announced before the conference to treat all sewage discharges made a significant contribution.
Our agreement on a harmonised approach to the control of dangerous substances is a most important step forward. It addresses the most serious source of contamination of the North Sea—namely, rivers. The commitment to reduce still further the impact of certain substances, to both air and water, underlines the urgency of our approach to this central problem.
We agreed to phase out and destroy all PCBs by 1999 at the latest. We made clear our fundamental objection to the long-term storage of PCBs, which is environmentally dangerous. Destruction is essential and we are particularly pleased that we pledged ourselves to provide sufficient destruction facilities for each country to destroy its own waste.
Finally, we should like to single out the agreement on wildlife, a topic which previously was neglected. The agreement provides for action to protect and conserve wildlife, especially dolphins and porpoises, and habitats. It will serve as a platform on which to build more extensive and ambitious proposals in the years to come.
The efforts of all signatories must now be directed towards the implementation of the Final Declaration. The UK will produce an implementation plan within three months.
A copy of the Final Declaration is being deposited in the Library.