HC Deb 25 October 1999 vol 336 c670W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement in respect of maritime pollution threats involving the "Pacific Pintail", the "Pacific Teal" and the Greenpeace ship. [94714]

Mr. Hill

My Department is not aware of any incident involving the named ships that created a risk of marine pollution. However, the ships were involved in incidents in July this year that resulted in a risk to safety. Greenpeace manoeuvred inflatable boats near the ships owned by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. The Greenpeace ship had positioned itself in the approach channel to Barrow. Its crew did not provide information on their intentions, despite several requests that they do so. Without any clear indication of Greenpeace's intentions, there was concern that their activities could result in injury or loss of life. My Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency therefore issued a direction requiring the MN Greenpeace to leave specified areas of the UK's territorial sea. We cancelled the direction once there was no longer a risk to safety in the UK territorial sea.