HC Deb 03 December 1991 vol 200 cc105-6W
Mr. Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now able to announce the outcome of the review of Her Majesty's coastguard's sector organisation.

Mr. McLoughlin

To ensure that Her Majesty's coastguard continues to provide the best possible search and rescue service in an efficient and cost-effective manner, a review of its present sector and auxiliary structure was undertaken. The review defined the coastguard's coastal commitments and reviewed the availability, readiness and training of coastguard personnel to met current requirements. During the course of the review there was extensive consultation with coastal local authorities, staff and the public.

The review concluded that present-day needs could be best met by establishing 68 additional auxiliary companies at new locations around the coast to improve the coastguard's intelligence-gathering and surveillance capability, while streamlining the size of companies so as to permit a reduction in the number of auxiliary coastguards and sector officers. The review also recommended improvements in the remuneration, equipment and training of the auxiliary coastguard service. In particular, the number of available pagers and portable radios should be doubled and extra uniform items made available to improve the public profile of the auxiliary coastguard.

The chief coastguard made a number of recommenda-tions and I have accepted them all. The review also concluded that the need for fixed watchkeeping at lookout stations in the south-west should be re-examined. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, such lookouts have since 1978 been replaced by mobile patrols.

I have agreed that fixed watchkeeping at Lizard should cease and be replaced by a mobile lookout undertaken by a coastguard response vehicle on a casualty watch basis. However, the present fixed lookout at St. Ives will continue for eight to 10 hours watchkeeping per day during the Easter to September period to cater for the special circumstances of that station.

I have not approved the closure of Gwennap Head, but because no operational case can be made for a 24-hour fixed lookout I have agreed to amend its watchkeeping 10 match that of St. Ives. The situation at Gwennap Head will be reviewed after the modified arrangements have been in force for a year.

I have further agreed to an extensive building programme to ensure that the coastguard is provided with modern bases from which to operate. New sector stations are planned to be built at Thurso, Buckie, Hartlepool, Port Pendennis and Burnham on Sea. In addition, suitable buildings will be leased or existing buildings rebuilt at 18 other locations.

New auxiliary stations will be provided in Orkney, Burnham on Crouch, Whitstable, St. Just, Penhale, Bridport and at Sutton Bridge.

This progressive programme is in addition to the six sector or auxiliary stations currently under construction and the three new large maritime co-ordination sub-centres under construction or at the planning stage at Bangor (Northern Ireland), Holyhead and Milford Haven.

The implementation of the review will be spread over four years.