§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what controls are in place to protect the Antarctic environment from contamination; and what are the penalties for breaches of those controls. [34429]
§ Sir Nicholas BonsorProvisions to protect the Antarctic environment are to be found in various treaties, including the environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty (1991), the convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter (1972), the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships (1973/1978) and the Basel convention on the control of transboudnary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal (1989). The Antarctic Act 1994 implements the environmental protocol. The maximum penalty for offences under the Act is an unlimited fine and/or two years imprisonment.