§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what present view he has of the performance advantages of TBT coatings over tin-free coatings for anti-fouling paint on ships; and if he will place the technical justification for that view in the Library;
(2) what expenditures were incurred on the investigation of anti-fouling paints carried out for the International Maritime Organisation.
§ Mr. NorrisResearch funded by the Department's Marine Safety Agency into the use of triorganotin compounds in anti-fouling paints indicates that the performance gap between TBT-based and modern tin-free coatings has narrowed. A copy of the research report "Critical Review of Current and Future Marine Antifouling Coatings" by Lloyd's Register Engineering Services will be placed in the Library. The cost of this research was £21,362.