To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to seek to tighten the criteria presently applied for the use of oil-based muds in the North sea.

The Government are at present seeking to reduce pollution in the North sea by limiting the quantities of oil discharged into the sea associated with cuttings from wells drilled using oil-based muds. On the United Kingdom continental shelf steps are already being taken by the oil industry to reduce the extent of pollution from this source.