§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many oil slicks have been reported in seas around the British Isles, annually, for the last five years. [40405]
§ Mr. NorrisThis is an operational matter for the Coastguard agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
308WLetter from C. J. Harris to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 1 November 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as the question deals with an operational matter, for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive.
The number of reports of oil pollution in the seas and around the shores of the UK, as compiled by the Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea (ACOPS), is as follows:
Year Total reports 1990 791 1991 705 1992 611 1993 676 1994 540 Total 3,323