§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the amount of overtime worked in each month since the creation of the Coastguard agency; [13375]
(2) what action has been taken to secure the retention of the Coastguard rescue helicopter base at Lee on the Solent; [13379]
(3) how he proposes to recruit to the post of Chief Coastguard; [13377]
(4) what steps are being taken to fill the current vacancies among operational Coastguard officers; [13374]
(5) what changes he has introduced to provide Coastguard over from Chichester to Beachy head, including changes in the staffing arrangements to cover (a) incidents and (b) public education in maritime and coastal safety matters. [13376]
§ Mr. NorrisI have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. J. Harris to Ms Joan Walley, dated 6 February 1996
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Coastguard operations.
The monthly amounts spent on overtime for the Coastguard Agency since its creation are as follows:
1994–95 £ April 74,413 May 82,613 June 80,636 July 84,962 August 81,076 September 76,764 October 77,995 November 71,255 December 74,016 January 63,700 February 104,483 March 76,880 1995–96 April 78,544 May 113,785 June 105,191 July 99,987 August 108,836 September 93,639 October 100,166 November 82,369 December 72,959 The Coastguard Agency is actively negotiating with the Ministry of Defence to retain facilities for future Coastguard Helicopter operations at HMS DAEDALUS.
The post, which falls vacant on the present Chief Coastguard's retirement in June, is being filled by open competition under normal Civil Service rules. The advertisement which appeared in the national press on 25 January has been drawn to the attention of serving Coastguard Officers who are eligible to apply.
153WThe Coastguard Agency maintains a continuing recruitment programme. During the past 12 months it has appointed 29 new Coastguard Officers.
- (a) The response to coastal incidents between Chichester and Beachy Head is the responsibility of Auxiliary Coastal Rescue Teams under the coordination of the Solent Coastguard Rescue Centre. There have been no changes to these arrangements in this area.
- (b) Since the retirement of the Newhaven and Shoreham Sector Officer this responsibility has been effectively covered by Sector Officers based at Littlehampton and Hastings.