§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals the Government have to require operators to clean up the sea bed around offshore installations on the UK continental shelf. [17000]
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§ Mr. Raymond S. Robertson[holding answer 24 February 1997]: Removal of installations and any debris will be addressed at end of field life in the abandonment programme approved by the Department of Trade and Industry. In addition, part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 includes powers to take action in response to instances of illegal dumping.
In relation to operational discharges from offshore installations, a recent study funded jointly by the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association and the Department of Trade and Industry identified a range of options for dealing with drill cuttings piles at the decommissioning stage. All the options require further investigation and the Government are considering how this might best be undertaken.