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Dept for Transport

Answer

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what help the UK Government have made available to (a) the Spanish and (b) the Portuguese authorities to help tackle the environmental repercussions of the Prestige oil disaster. [84740] Mr. Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) received a request on 13 November from the Spanish embassy via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for offers of assistance for an at-sea clean-up operation, following an oil spill from M/V Prestige. An offer of immediate salvage and counter pollution advice and equipment was passed to the Spanish embassy. This request was repeated on 14 November by the European Commission's Civil Protection and Environmental Accidents Unit, which was assessing availability of equipment for collective help to Spain. On 14 November the MCA offered Spain a range of equipment and expertise, outlining the elements of the UK's own oil spill response capability that could be utilised in this incident. This offer was enhanced on the 19th with information about an oil spill recovery vessel--the Sefton Supporter owned by Gulf Offshore that operates in the Irish Sea. On 21 November the MCA received a further request from the European Commission's Civil Protection Co- operation Mechanism, on behalf of Spain and Portugal, for information on the availability, costs/hire charges and mobilisation time of specialised equipment for the recovery of heavy oil. On 24 November MCA's offer of assistance was accepted and, after discussion with the Spanish Authorities, three Artic lorries with specialist equipment and one flat bed lorry equipped with a 10ft crane was sent by ferry, due to arrive in La Coruna 28 November. The MCA are also sending five trained personnel to operate and help deploy this equipment. Additionally an aerial surveillance capability was requested by Spain on 27 November and this is being deployed by 3 December. The Spanish Authorities also contacted Gulf Offshore directly requesting the services of the Sefton Supporter, which arrived in La Coruna on 27 November.Defra's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has also contacted the scientists working on impact assessment and offered any technical assistance they may find helpful.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

84740; 395 c669-70W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Disasters Environment protection International assistance Oil Pollution Tankers Portugal Spain MV Prestige

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk