Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon has urged the government to take 'immediate action' in the wake of the North Sea incident.
Mr Gordon questioned a Minister in Parliament following the collision of two ships, one a tanker carrying jet fuel, off the coast of East Yorkshire.
The two ships collided just before 10am on Monday (10th March) and there are serious environmental concerns as a result.
The Government issued a statement, and subsequently took questions from MPs.
Tom asked the Minister what the public should expect to see from the tactical coordination group.
He also asked whether the Government will cover any potential environmental and economic impact costs that may arise, and what longer term support there would be if there are long term consequences of the incident.
Tom’s question to the Minister follows Cllr Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council and Lib Dem mayoral candidate for Hull and the East Riding, intervening to call for the Government to set out a Rapid Response Plan following the incident, to ensure that it is dealt with in a quick and timely manner.
Yesterday (Tuesday), Mike Ross also called for the Government to convene a COBRA meeting.
In response, the Minister said that standard procedure was to bring local resilience forums on board, and that this had already happened.
He also said that all resources needed to respond to the incident had been deployed, including both to contain the fire and to assess the environmental impact of pollution.
East Yorkshire’s coast is known for its natural beauty, marine life, and also hosts numerous seabird colonies, such as the Flamborough Headlands.
This large ecosystem is at risk from the impacts of chemicals and fuel entering the sea from the ships.
Commenting, Tom said:
“We must see urgent action to make sure that any and all potential threats to the East Coast’s ecosystems is mitigated and contained.
"The threat to ecosystems and local economies, particularly in East Yorkshire is severe, and the action the Government takes must match that.
"We can’t sit back and wait until the full extent of the damage is known – we need immediate action to contain and mitigate the threat."
He added:
“It’s absolutely vital that we seize the initiative and allocate resources now, before its too late.
"That’s why I’m adding my voice to my fellow Lib Dem Cllr Mike Ross’s for the Government to take action immediately and quickly.
"The Government must answer these urgent questions.
"This is absolutely time critical. The Government mustn’t sit on their hands and wait for more news to deploy new resources.
"To do so would be to abandon and betray East Yorkshire’s communities.”
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