§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consider recommendations for oil pollution to be subject to MARPOL standards and legislation. [146158]
§ Mr. HillThe relevant provisions of the MARPOL Convention and its Annexes, notably "Annex I: Prevention of pollution by oil", have been incorporated in UK law through regulations under Merchant Shipping legislation and are in force.
§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what provision his Department makes available to meet the costs of oil pollution in ports. [146159]
§ Mr. HillMy Department does not make provision to meet the costs of oil pollution in ports. Compensation for oil pollution damage resulting from spills of persistent oil carried in bulk as cargo by tankers is available from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, under the framework of the 1992 Protocols to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1969 and the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1971, UK legislation applies strict liability for all oil pollution from shipping, and this therefore obliges non-tanker owners to meet the costs up to the limits according to the ships' tonnage under the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976.