Mark expressed outrage as the Coalition Government announced today that it is going to defer the introduction of new regulations on ship to ship oil transfers.

Mark said:

“As oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico, it’s amazing that the new Government is deferring regulation here.

“There have already been two consultations and there is no need for another review. The suspicion has to be that the Government has caved in to lobbying from the shipping industry.

Local councils in coastal areas have welcomed the new regulations because they know the cost in both environmental and financial terms of an oil spill.

We shouldn’t have to wait for a disaster before the Government is prepared to act.”

Mark has fought a long campaign for new regulations beginning with a Private Member’s Bill in December 2007. He acted out of concern about the potential risks of an oil spill after proposals were made to allow ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth.

The campaign resulted in the introduction by the last Government of new regulations just before Parliament was dissolved which were welcomed by organisations in the field such as RSPB Scotland. They were due to be introduced in October but have now been deferred until April pending a review.

This follows a Parliamentary Motion introduced by Sarah Newton Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth asking for the regulations to be scrapped which has been signed by only 4 MPs. You can read this here.

In contrast, a Motion tabled by Mark welcoming the regulations has been signed by 21 MPs with a broader range of support. Click here to read this.

Mark has worked closely on this issue with RSPB Scotland and opposite you can see a bird damaged by oil from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico.