To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to reduce the volume of pollution attributable to shipping activities. (272352)

The Department for Transport works in the forum of the International Maritime Organization to develop international standards and regulations which prevent pollution from ships. The Department’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency undertakes the surveillance and monitoring of the UK pollution control zone, and enforces relevant legislation in respect of UK-flagged ships and in respect of ships in waters under UK jurisdiction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the level of pollution from shipping in UK coastal waters. (272836)

Each year, the Department’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency commissions the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea to prepare an “Annual survey of reported discharges attributed to vessels and offshore oil and gas installations operating in the United Kingdom Pollution Control Zone”. The reports of the annual surveys are available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s website.