Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to public bodies of the oil spill in Poole.

The Environment Agency (EA), Natural England (NE), Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) amongst others have been involved in responding to the oil spill in Poole Harbour. Public agencies will be monitoring their excess costs throughout the response and recovery operations following the oil spill. As these operations are on-going, final estimates are not available; however, when possible, costs will be recovered from the polluter.