Written question asked by Chris Ruane (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 November 2003. It was answered by David Jamieson (Labour) on Thursday, 20 November 2003 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Dept for Transport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents involving ships clearing out their ballast tanks there have been in (a) British waters and (b) Liverpool Bay in each year over the past 20 years; how many prosecutions have resulted; and what actions he is taking to prevent ships from clearing out their ballast tanks in British waters.

Answer: Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents involving ships clearing out their ballast tanks there have been in (a) British waters and (b) Liverpool Bay in each year over the past 20 years; how many prosecutions have resulted; and what actions he is taking to prevent ships from clearing out their ballast tanks in British waters [140422] Mr. Jamieson: The discharge of clean ballast water is not yet controlled by legislation and the UK do not keep records of this operation either in British Waters or in Liverpool Bay, or require that vessels do so. However, existing legislation does impose strict controls on the discharge of oily ballast water. This is enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) through means such as aerial surveillance and inspections on vessels. As of 1 August 1999, all discharges of oil are strictly controlled in North West European waters as designated under International Convention. In the prosecutions that the MCA have secured it is very difficult to apportion the discharge to contaminated ballast water.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 140422; 413 c1445W;413 c1441W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Contamination Hazardous substances Pollution Water Shipping Seas and oceans Waste Territorial waters
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk