HC Deb 21 January 1993 vol 217 cc359-60W
Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is, in both cash and constant prices, the amount of financial support his Department has given to fund research into oil spill clean-ups in each year since financial year 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norris

The expenditure on research into oil spill clean-ups in the years specified was:

Year Expenditure £ Deflated to 1987–88 prices £
1987–88 988,938
1988–89 741,975 691,621
1989–90 737,089 644,687
1990–91 874,603 708,410
1991–92 610,464 462,506
1992–93 1830,000 603,197
1 Estimate.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to the use of napalm to tackle the oil slick resulting from the Braer disaster; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norris

My Department considers all available techniques when dealing with oil pollution at sea in oil spill incidents. Burning the slick would not have been appropriate in the Braer incident due to the location of the vessel and the weather conditions. My Department has also commissioned a research project to review burning as a response option.