Campaigners happy with Forth oil swap decision

ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners today welcomed a decision by the Scottish Parliament to give ministers new powers to put a brake on ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Forth.

MSPs have given their backing to new regulations which enable ministers to call in plans which may affect protected sites - but Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead admitted the power to stop the transfers lay with Westminster.

He said he would like to see that power transferred to Scottish ministers, but in the meantime the Scottish government was asking the Westminster government to exercise the power now.

Proposals from SPT Marine Services would see 7.8 million tonnes of Russian crude pumped each year between tankers anchored four miles off the coast.

Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland said: "Giving Scottish ministers the powers to properly protect Scotland's environment is the right decision, and we welcome this move.

"However, it is just as important that the UK government takes action in this area too."

He added: "The Firth of Forth contains many conservation sites of national and international importance.

"The proposal to allow the ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Forth is an accident waiting to happen."