§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the environmental impact of tankers flushing out their tanks in the North sea.
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 15 February 1993]: Efforts continue to deter tankers from illegally flushing their tanks in the North sea and to detect tankers that may do so. It is impracticable to undertake an assessment of the environmental impact of such flushing because of the difficulties of distinguishing between traces of hydrocarbons present in sea water due to tank flushing and those from other sources.