Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfer

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 9:39 am on 24 May 2007.

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Photo of Ted Brocklebank Ted Brocklebank Conservative 9:39, 24 May 2007

I congratulate Richard Lochhead on his seamless transition from being a fellow member of the awkward squad on the Environment and Rural Development Committee to being a fully-fledged cabinet secretary. As a Fifer, I welcome his good intention to ensure that the wonderful beaches around the Forth estuary in my part of Fife are kept clear of oil pollution.

As Richard Lochhead is well aware, much of the business that is transacted in the Firth of Forth, at Hound Point and Braefoot Bay, is oil business. I have two questions. Yesterday, the First Minister, Alex Salmond, said that the Scottish National Party will place no barriers in the way of business. If the green lobby decides that the exceptional bird life and environment of Orkney and Shetland might be at risk, will the minister consider banning ship-to-ship oil transfers at Sullom Voe and Scapa Flow, where they have been carried out totally safely for 40 years? Secondly, given the limited powers that are available to the Parliament and that a review of the legislative procedure is already under way, was there any real point behind the minister's statement?