HC Deb 29 January 1993 vol 217 cc876-7W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to monitor the effects of the Shetland oil spill and publish the results.

Sir Hector Monro

I have nothing to add to my replies of 28 January.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many soil, air, water and sediment samples have been taken by, or on behalf of, his Department for analysis of oil and oil breakdown products following the wreck of MV Braer; and if the results will be published.

Sir Hector Monro

[holding answer of 27 January 1993]: Very extensive sampling is being undertaken in the course of a range of studies of the Shetland environment which are now being pursued: work by the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, for example, involves taking hundreds of samples over a 5 to 10 acre area of each of seven different soil types. Shetland Islands council also has an extensive programme in hand. All this work will be drawn together by the ecological steering group which my right hon. Friend announced on 11 January. Results will be published in due course or, if of a technical and complex nature, made available on request.

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