§ Mr. Thorpeasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the hourly rate paid to lifeboatmen and coast guards and their respective auxiliaries; and when this remuneration was fixed.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsCoxswains and crews of lifeboats receive £1 10s. 0d. for the first two hours or part of two hours for every service call, plus 7s. 6d. for each hour in excess of 2 hours. Helpers (category A) receive £1 0s. 0d. for every service call. Helpers (category C) receive 18s. 6d. per call plus 1s. 6d. per hour. For exercises, coxswains and crews are paid £1 5s. 0d. for three hours plus 5s. per hour if the exercise exceeds this time. Helpers in both categories (A and C) receive £1 0s. 0d. for a three-hour exercise. These rates were introduced on 1st April, 1969.
Regular coastguards are paid annual salaries. The basic grade of coastguardsman and the next higher grade of station officer are conditioned to a working week of 42 hours. The corresponding hourly rates are:
Coastguard district officers and inspectors have no specifically conditioned hours. The present salary levels were 401W introduced on 1st January, 1969. They will increase by 7 per cent. on 1st January, 1970.
- Coastguardsmen 8s. 8d. (minimum) to 10s. 2d. (maximum);
- Station Officers 10s. 7d. (minimum) to 1s. 9d. (maximum).
Coastguard auxiliaries are paid 6s. 3d. per hour for watchkeeping when required on a casual basis. This rate came into effect from 1st July, 1968. Auxiliaries are also paid for life-saving calls at 15s. for the first 2 hours plus 5s. per hour thereafter. Assistants receive 10s. for the first 2 hours plus 3s. 6d. per hour thereafter. Telephone duty attracts 2s. 6d. per hour. These rates have been in force since December, 1963. There are additional payments to auxiliaries for attendance at quarterly drills and for care of equipment which cannot be properly expressed in hourly terms.