§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many coastguard stations have breeches buoy equipment; when it was installed; why he has decided to remove existing equipment from use; if he will make a statement as to the cost involved of(a) withdrawal of the equipment and (b) leaving it in place; and how the need formerly met by breeches buoy will henceforth be met.
§ Mr. David MitchellThere are 263 coastguard stations which hold breeches buoy equipment. The majority of this 631W equipment has been in place since the mid-19th century, although some modifications have taken place in the intervening years.
The existing equipment is to be removed because its use as a method of rescuing stranded mariners has progressively declined and its retention for use by Her Majesty's coastguard can no longer be justified.
The only costs involved in withdrawing this equipment will be in transportation. These costs have not been calculated although they are expected to be minimal. Any time spent by coastguards on this task will be part of their everyday working and no extra expenditure will be incurred.
The costs involved in retaining the equipment would be in the region of £230,000 per year. This includes replacement, maintenance costs and care of equipment payments to auxiliary coastguards. However, development costs for replacement of obsolescent rocket apparatus would also have to be incurred in the near future.
The need formerly met by breeches buoys is now met by search and rescue helicopters provided by my Department and the Ministry of Defence and lifeboats provided by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The cliff rescue capability which is also provided by my Department may also be appropriate in certain cases.