§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the matters discussed and decisions taken at the meeting of the London convention on sea disposal of wastes, held in London on 8 to 12 November; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the final declaration and the statement made by the United Kingdom to the meeting.
§ Mr. JackThe consultative meeting of the London convention held on 8 to 12 November considered and adopted four resolutions in furtherance of the process of amending the convention. These resolutions established: a ban on the disposal of radioactive wastes at sea; a ban on the sea disposal of industrial wastes; a ban with some exemptions, on the incineration of wastes at sea; a commitment to undertake a thorough review of the other provisions of the convention.
The United Kingdom fully supported the resolutions on industrial waste, incineration and the amendment process. 119W We abstained from the vote on the disposal of radioactive wastes and are currently considering the implications of the decisions on this matter. The United Kingdom delegation made no formal declaration or statement to the meeting but we were able to emphasise the United Kingdom's desire to see practical steps taken and properly applied to ensure protection of the marine environment and was able to report that, in advance of the present amendments, the United Kingdom had already terminated all dumping of industrial wastes and incineration at sea.