§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many oil spillages have been detected around the coast of Scotland in each of the last three years; how many sea birds and mammals were affected; and how many prosecutions were entered against those causing the spillages. [7656]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 January, 1996]: My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate advises that in each of the last three years for which complete figures are available there have been the following number of prosecutions:
- 1992: One
- 1993: Four
- 1994: Five
As the number of oil spillages detected in Scottish waters is an operational matter for the Coastguard Agency, I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to ask the chief executive of that agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 9 January 1996:
The Minister for Transport has been asked by the Secretary of State for Scotland to reply to part of your recent Question about oil spillages around the cost of Scotland and the affect on sea birds and mammals. I have been asked to reply as the query deals with a matter for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive of the Coastguard Agency.In the three years period 1992 to 1994, there have been 477 reported oil pollution incidents in Scottish waters. Of these, 144 were reported in 1992, 178 were reported in 1993 and 155 were reported in 1994.In 1992 238 birds were affected by oil around the coast of Scotland. During the BRAER spill in January 1993, some 1500 to 1600 birds of all species were found dead, according to the report by the Ecological Steering Group on the Oil Spill in Shetland (ESGOSS) into the Environmental Impact of the Wreck of the 321W BRAER. The ESGOSS report does not attribute any mammal deaths directly to the effects of the BRAER spill. During 1994 366 birds were affected by oil around the Scottish coastline.