§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the dangers of oil spills, during the summer months, on the coastline of Pembrokeshire. [29684]
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§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Emergency Towing Study by Captain C.P.R. Belton published in 1995 included a year-round environmental and risk analysis of oil spills at sea. For the analysis, the UK coastline was divided into sixteen regions and ranked according to various environmental and risk factors. The Pembrokeshire coastline was contained within the region of West and North Wales which was ranked sixth overall and therefore was not designated a Primary or Secondary danger area. The West Country, where an Emergency Towing Vessel is stationed for the winter months and ranked third overall in the Study, was designated a Primary danger area. As a result of tug trials carried out during the winter months, I announced on 10 February 1998,Official Report, columns 131–32, that three tugs would continue to be sited in the Dover Strait, the Minches and the Western Approaches between October and March.