Government handling of Ghost Fleet a complete farce - Baker

Commenting on an Environment Agency report on the Government's handling of the 'ghost-ships' in Hartlepool, Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, said:

"This report exposes the Government's complete incompetence in handling the ghost ships row.

"Ministers should have taken action before the ships even set sail and missed several opportunities to stop them entering British waters. The Department for Transport could have sent them back, but chose to do absolutely nothing.

"The Liberal Democrats were arguing last year that Britain should not be a dumping ground for American rubbish. There needs to be an internationally accepted principle that developed countries deal with their own waste.

"Today's report confirms that, from the beginning, the story of the ghost fleet has been a complete farce."