§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations has he received over reduced levels of safety off the north Devon coast during 1989; and what remedial action he intends to take.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 17 such representations. The points raised have been answered and he is satisfied that the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast are adequate to meet the rescue needs of the area.
§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the actual level of manning at coastguard headquarters, Swansea, and of the cover over the North Devon coastline by day and by night.
§ Mr. McLoughlinAll assurances given at the time of the announcement of the Swansea/Hartland merger have been
10W
Authorities 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 Street lighting £'000 Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting Street lighting £'000 Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting Street lighting £'000 Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting Street lighting £'000 Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting Street lighting £'000 Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting Metropolitan districts Knowsley — — — — — — 961 28 1,016 28 Liverpool — — — — — — 2,578 34 2,728 35 St Helens — — — — — — 685 25 725 26 Sefton — — — — — — 1,629 27 1,544 23 Wirral — — — — — — 1,080 20 1,384 21 Merseyside total — — — — — — 6,933 28 7,336 27 Barnsley — — — — — — 867 23 960 24 Doncaster — — — — — — 1,249 20 1,321 21 Rotherham — — — — — — 1,281 22 1,282 19 Sheffield — — — — — — 1,983 18 2,098 19 South Yorkshire total — — — — — — 5,379 20 5,661 20 Gateshead — — — — — — 1,085 20 1040 19 Newcastle — — — — — — 1,462 22 1,474 21 North Tyneside — — — — — — 864 19 1,018 22 South Tyneside — — — — — — 946 22 899 21 Sunderland — — — — — — 1,560 25 1,601 25 Tyne & Wear total — — — — — — 5,917 22 6,032 21 Birmingham — — — — — — 4,327 23 4,199 20 Coventry — — — — — — 988 18 1,102 20 met. The staffing level at Swansea has been increased and since the merger the number of persons on watch has not fallen below four. This is adequate, as are all the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast whether by day or night.
§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure the adequacy of the actual level of manning at coastguard headquarters, Swansea, and over the north Devon coastline by day arid by night.
§ Mr. McLoughlinFollowing the Swansea/Hartland merger on 6 December 1988, staffing levels were increased to reflect the area now covered by the Swansea centre. At no time since has the number of persons on watch fallen below four persons.
An additional coastguard sector officer has been stationed in the Hartland area and the auxiliary coastguard rescue companies in the area remain unaffected by the merger. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is satisfied with these arrangements and that the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast are adequate to meet the rescue needs of the area.