§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the time of call and country of destination of radio communication calls from the MV Braer via Wick Radio, Shetland Radio or Collafirth Radio between 8 am on 4 January and 5 am on 5 January.
§ Mr. NorrisNone.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail the steps taken by his Department and the marine pollution control unit in response to recommendations 74 and 75 in the eighth report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution regarding the use of dispersants to deal with oil spills; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisI refer the hon. Member to pollution paper No. 20 of 1983, which sets out the Government response to the royal commission report. Since its publication, the MPCU has considerably increased its capacity for dealing with oil spills and, with its contractor Air Atlantique and with Warren Spring Laboratory, has developed consider-able expertise in the use of aerial spraying of dispersants and aerial surveillance. In addition, the MPCU has four ship-based oil recovery systems ready to deploy in vessels of opportunity and stockpiles of booms, skimmers and other recovery and clean-up equipment. Details of the arrangements for dealing with pollution arising from spillages of oil from ships into the marine environment are set out in the marine pollution control unit's national contingency plan. This was revised in May 1993 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.