§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Marine Safety Agency will complete its survey of those ports which have facilities to accept chemical contaminated waste; if he will list the ports so designated; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThis is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 17 January 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about ports which have facilities for accepting chemical contaminated wastes.
The Marine Safety Agency has a policy of constantly reviewing the provision of waste reception facilities at ports. This is in part to meet our commitment to ensure that the facilities are adequate under the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, know as MARPOL. The Department of Transport is also assessing the provision of facilities to assist in the development of measures following the recommendations in Lord Donaldson's report into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas".
At the moment we have two surveys in hand: a questionnaire survey of the types and capacity of reception facilities and an independent assessment of the adequacy of those facilities. The responses from the questionnaire survey were received in late 1994 and are currently being analysed. We also hope that the team of consultants carrying out the second assessment will have finalized 418W their reports shortly. I will send you personal copies of both reports when they are available.