§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they have given to the report of the Ecological Steering Group on the Shetland Oil Spill.
The Earl of LindsayI have today placed in the Library a detailed response to the group's main recommendations. It accepts the case for improved co-ordination, both generally and specifically, in relation to public health and wildlife response arrangements, and notes the group's views on early survey and sampling requirements and on further research priorities.
Arising directly from the group's recommendation that the Government should review the position on access to land where scientific work is required to assess the environmental impact of a major pollution incident, the Environment Bill which completed its Parliamentary stages this month, provides for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (and the Environment Agency in England and Wales) to authorise access in emergency circumstances.