asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied with current measures to prevent and dispose of rubbish dumped from ships in the Channel.

My Department has received a number of complaints about the discharge of rubbish from ships, and has followed them up as appropriate, drawing the attention of the operators to their responsibilities to protect the environment from this nuisance. There are at present no regulations governing the disposal of rubbish at sea, though there is provision in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973. The United Kingdom is taking the initiative in IMCO towards its early implementation.