§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the joint meeting of Transport and Environment Ministers in Brussels on 25 January.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe United Kingdom supported calls for an early meeting of EC Ministers to consider the implications of the oil pollution incidents at La Coruna and on Shetland and took a leading part in the proceedings. The United Kingdom was represented by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my noble Friend the Minister for Shipping and myself.
Prior to the meeting, the United Kingdom circulated a report on the Shetland oil spill. I am placing copies of this report in the Library. In it we drew attention to the work we have set in hand following this incident, including the accident investigation by the marine accident investigation board, the inquiry under Lord Donaldson of Lymington and the ecological steering group being set up in Scotland. We called for concerted action at national, European and global levels, emphasising the importance of the international Maritime Organisation—IMO—and by flag states throughout the world if real improvements in ship safety and pollution prevention are to be secured. We suggested early ratification by member states of the protocols to the international liability and fund conventions agreed at the diplomatic conference in London last year which provide for increased compensation amounts, and ratification of the salvage convention; and we encouraged early adoption of the EC directive concerning requirements for vessels carrying dangerous or polluting goods which was agreed last month during the United Kingdom presidency. We also suggested urgent examination of other possible measures including additional guidance to tanker operators and masters, routing measures, extension of radar coverage and vessel traffic service schemes, the role of salvage tugs and further port state control action.
The Council commended the United Kingdom on its prompt and effective response to the Braer incident. It recognised that further concerted action at national and Community level and in the IMO is essential to minimise threats to the marine and coastal environments from oil and hazardous cargoes. It urges the Community and member states to support the on-going work in IMO relevant to this objective. The United Kingdom has been urging the Commission to bring forward as a matter of urgency its communication "A Common Policy for Safe Seas". This now now expected to issue next month. The full text of the Council conclusions will be placed in the Library when it is available.