§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what discussions, between which individuals, have taken place between the Government and the US Administration in respect of the ships from the US Reserve Fleet intended for dismantling in the UK. [133364]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 21 October 2003]: There have been discussions between officials in the Department, the Department for Transport, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Environment Agency, and their counterparts in the US State Department, the US Marine Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency. These discussions covered a range of issues including the safe transportation of the vessels across the 246W Atlantic, the environmentally sound management of wastes arising from the dismantling of the vessels, and the authorisations and notifications necessary to undertake these operations.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact on the marine environment of the Tees estuary of the planned dismantling of ships from the US Reserve Fleet. [133365]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 21 October 2003]: An assessment was made, by the Environment Agency in combination with other regulatory bodies, regarding modification of the waste management licence for the facility where the dismantling will take place. The assessment satisfied the Agency that the planned operations at the site would be unlikely to have a significant effect on the Tees estuary or the Teesmouth and Cleveland Special Protection Area. Other applications for permissions and consents relating to this case are subject to appropriate scrutiny by the relevant authorities.