HC Deb 15 April 1991 vol 189 c1W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 219, on the marine pollution control unit in the Gulf, if he will make a statement on the results of the MPCU's actions in co-ordination of commercial offers of counter-pollution personnel and equipment from British companies.

Mr. McLoughlin

The purpose of the marine pollution control unit's co-ordinating activities has been to alert prospective customers in the Gulf to what counter-pollution equipment and personnel are available from British companies. Thereafter, it is for customers to take up whatever offers, if any. they wish to pursue. To date, three contracts have been let to British companies as the result of the actions—one by the Department of the Environment and two by the International Maritime Organisation. These are:

a. DOE DESMI Engineering Ltd, of Newcastle under Lyme. The supply of six Heavy Duty Oil Skimmers. These were presented to the Government of Bahrain by HMG as described in my answer of 21 March.

b. IMO (1) Alba International Ltd, of Aberdeen. Clean-up feasibility study for Musallamiyah Bay. An area of ecological importance given high priority by the Saudi Arabian Government. (2) Alba International Ltd., of Aberdeen. Clean-up of the coastline of Karan Island, off the Saudi Arabian coast. The most important breeding ground in the Gulf for Green Turtles. Both IMO contracts are being funded from the IMO Gulf fund to which a number of countries have contributed, including the United Kingdom.