§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total coastguard manpower at the regional headquarters for each year since 1975; what are the hours of watchkeeping required of substations; and if this is the same as in 1975.
§ Mr. SproatThe total number of regular coastguard personnel in the maritime rescue co-ordination centres and subcentres and in the corresponding former divisional rescue headquarters, on 1 January of each year from 1975, is as follows:
Numbers 1975 252 1976 274 1977 294 1978 307 1979 331 1980 354 1981 375 1982 386 With the progressive reorganisation and re-equipment of Her Majesty's coastguard from 1978 onwards, the maintenance of continuous radio distress watch has been concentrated in these centres and subcentres. Visual watch by auxiliary coastguards is set at fixed or mobile stations as dictated by prevailing local conditions of casualty risk.
In 1975 continuous radio watch was kept at 24 constantly manned stations in addition to the divisional rescue headquarters; visual watch was kept between 0800 and 1800, extended as necessary, at 97 day watch stations.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many helicopter liaison officers there are in the coastguard service; where they are situated; and if he expects to make any changes.
§ Mr. SproatThere are at present two full-time coastguard helicopter liaison officers at RAF Manston, two at RNAS Lee-on-Solent and two at RNAS Culdrose. One of the Manston officers will be withdrawn shortly. The other five posts will be reviewed this year.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution about coastguard organisational changes; and whether they are acceptable to the institution.
§ Mr. SproatCoastguard organisation has been discussed on several occasions, both directly between the institution and the coastguard, and in the committee to co-ordinate United Kingdom marine search and rescue arrangements which is chaired by my Department and on which the institution is represented. Points of detail are likely to continue to arise, but I understand the institution accepts the organisational changes in principle.
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§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade which coastguard stations are responsible for the south-west area of the United Kingdom; what is their established strength compared with 1975; and what are the figures for the Scilly Isles.
§ Mr. SproatThe maritime rescue co-ordination centre at Brixham and the subcentres at Falmouth and Hartland between them co-ordinate civil maritime search and rescue operations off the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. In addition, in Devon and Cornwall and the Scillies, there are 57 units manned by auxiliary coastguards—under the supervision of 20 regular coastguard sector officers.
The comparative strengths of regular officers at these rescue centres, at the present time and in 1975, are as follows:
1 January 1982 1 January 1975 Brixham 18 13 Falmouth 18 7 Hartland 14 7 Land's End — 7 The former constantly manned station at St. Mary's, Scilly, had in 1975 a complement of six regular officers. The Falmouth subcentre is now responsible for the co-ordination of search and rescue around the Scilly Isles, and the St. Mary's complement has been reduced to two.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade if the telephone numbers of British registered shipping companies including out of hours numbers are readily available to the coastguard service.
§ Mr. SproatHer Majesty's Coastguard can normally quickly obtain the telephone numbers of the owners of ships registered in the United Kingdom, including out of hours numbers, by reference to Lloyd's intelligence services—itself available at all times—or other commercial shipping sources.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many coastguard stations there are in the United Kingdom; where they are situated; and what is their designated role.
§ Mr. SproatThere are six maritime rescue co-ordination centres—MRCCs—and 21 associated subcentres—MRSCs.
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MRCC Aberdeen MRSCs Shetland (Lerwick) Orkney (Kirkwall) Wick Moray (Peterhead) Forth (Fifeness) MRCC Dover MRSCs Thames (Walton on the Naze) Shoreham MRCC Swansea MRSCs Hartland Milford Haven Holyhead Liverpool (Formby) MRCC Yarmouth MRSCs Tyne (North Shields) Tees (Redcar) Humber (Spurn Point) MRCC Brixham MRSCs Solent (Freshwater, IOW) Portland Falmouth MRCC Clyde (Greenock) MRSCs Oban
Stornoway Belfast (Bangor) Ramsey (IOM) Each centre or subcentre is responsible for the co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue within a designated area of the United Kingdom search and rescue region. In addition, there are 340 auxiliary stations under the supervision of regular sector officers who assist the regular coastguard service as required.