§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on coastguard provision in the Solent/Spithead area. [14684]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Coastguard agency, Mr. C. J. Harris, to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Letter from Mr. C. J. Harris to Mr. Peter Viggers, dated 6 November 1997:
The Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Coastguard provision in the Solent/Spithead area.The Coastguard District of Solent is part of the Southern Coastguard Search and Rescue Region, and comprises a Maritime Rescue Sub Centre at Lee-on-Solent along with Coastguard Sector Managers at Portsmouth, South Downs (Littlehampton), Southampton and the Isle of Wight who are responsible for Auxiliary Coastguard Response Teams trained in cliff and mud rescue and coastal search techniques. These teams are located at Havant, Hayling Island, Portsmouth, Selsey, Birling Gap, Brighton, Littlehampton, Newhaven, Shoreham, Hillhead, Lymington, Southampton, Bembridge, Needles, Newport, Ryde and Ventnor, plus two Coastguard patrol boats (based at Hayling Island and Southampton). Coastguard facilities within the Solent District are 282W completed by a contract rescue helicopter based at Lee-on-Solent and other search and rescue organisations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Solent Sea Rescue Organisation.