HC Deb 22 March 1991 vol 188 cc243-4W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the interference to(a) the feeding habits and (b) the breeding patterns of dugongs in the northern Gulf waters arising from (i) the oil slicks discharged from Kuwaiti oil terminals and (ii) the explosion of sea mines.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: The assessments available to me indicate that dugongs are vulnerable to damage which oil pollution can cause to the seagrass beds on which they feed in the shallow waters of the western Gulf. I have no information on particular risks to dugongs posed by explosion of mines, but no mortalities have yet been reported. The current location of the spill is to the north of the main dugong habitats.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the work of the Plymouth marine laboratory of the Natural Environment Research Council in relation to the Gulf.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: The Plymouth marine laboratory of NERC has compiled an assessment of the likely biological effects of the Gulf oil spill, copies of which are available in the Library. We are continuing to seek its advice on this topic and to make its expertise and that of other United Kingdom marine environment science bodies known to the Gulf states.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which countries have donated defensive booms for work in the Gulf.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: According to the list provided by the International Maritime Organisation, equipment donated to the Gulf states for preventing oil pollution, recovering oil, or clean-up has so far been provided by Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest information from the International Maritime Organisation on the movement of oil slicks in the Gulf.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: The latest reports from the International Maritime Organisation indicate that a large slick remains positioned along the Saudi coast north of Abu Ali island with further patches of light oil between 10 and 60 miles offshore. Small amounts of oil continue to leak into the northern Gulf in Kuwaiti waters.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to protect the sea grass in the Gulf.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991 ]: The best prospect for protecting sea grass beds from the effects of the Gulf oil slick is likely to come from rapid recovery operations directed at the remaining oil floating on the surface before it breaks up and sinks. I described to the hon. Member on 15 March at column 1385–86 the UK's contribution to counter-pollution measures in the region.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests he has had from Gulf states for monitoring equipment for oil slick-related problems.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: The UK has had no direct requests from the Gulf states for equipment of this type.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he is doing to establish the presence of dioxins in the Gulf; and whether the crude oil contains hydrogens.

Mr. Baldry

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: None directly, but the Meteorological Office research aircraft may be able to obtain relevant data on the composition of the plumes from the oil fires.