Greens welcome bid to halt Forth oil transfers

Published on Monday 25 June 2007 12:15

NEW powers which would allow ministers effectively to "call in" future ship-to-ship oil transfers on the Forth were today welcomed by Greens.

First Minister Alex Salmond previously called for tighter government controls over the transfers and environment secretary Richard Lochhead told Parliament last month that officials are working on proposals. At the moment Forth Ports Authority has the final say on proposals from SPT Marine Services, which would see about 7.8 million tonnes of Russian crude oil a year pumped between tankers anchored four miles off the coast.

Now a draft statutory instrument by the Scottish government has been lodged with Parliament and should become law by the summer break.

Green co-leader and Lothians MSP Robin Harper said: "It is an absolute priority that the public interest be upheld, and that key decisions of such immense importance are made by the right people and for the right reasons."