§ Mr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated saving in public expenditure of the recommended abolition of regular watchkeeping by auxiliary coastguards at the Gwennap Head (Land's End), St. Ives and the Lizard lookouts.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe review of the coastguard sector organisation and auxiliary service is a consultative document, not a statement of intent, and recommends that the case for retaining fixed lookouts should be re-examined.
In the event of a total abolition of the fixed lookouts at Gwennap Head, St. Ives and the Lizard it is estimated that total savings in public expenditure would be of the order of £38,000 per annum. Against this would need to be offset the costs of providing observations from coast response vehicles in "casualty watch" situations which it is envisaged would be an ongoing requirement.
§ Mr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the reduction in the total number of auxiliary coastguards if the recommendations of the review of the auxiliary coastguard service are implemented in full.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe review of the coastguard sector organisation and auxiliary service was accepted as a consultative document not a statement of intent. Local coastguard senior management is holding discussions with local interests and staff about the implications of the review's recommendations in each region. No decisions will be taken until these implications have been fully assessed and full account has been taken of local circumstances and conditions.
It is therefore not yet possible to estimate what, if any, reduction there might be to the total number of auxiliary coastguards as a result of the implementation of the review.