Written question asked by Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru) on Wednesday, 23 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 22 March 2005. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 March 2005 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she was first informed that the cathodic protection system used on the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline was vulnerable to being rendered inoperative by coating corrosion.

Answer: Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she was first informed that the cathodic protection system used on the Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan pipeline was vulnerable to being rendered inoperative by coating corrosion. [218556] Mr. Alexander: It is the Export Credits Guarantee Department's understanding that the pipeline coating protects the underlying metal pipe from the surrounding corrosive environment and it will not itself corrode.

Secondary information