Coastguard (Hansard, 22 January 1992)

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of surveys undertaken during the review of the coastguard service before drawing up the proposals contained in the current consultation paper.

§ Mr. McLoughlin
All levels of staff within the six regions of HM coastguard from auxiliary coastguards to district management teams were consulted over the recommendations made by the sector review, and were asked for comment. The views and opinions received were duly considered before the final regional implementation plans were submitted to coastguard headquarters. The views and opinions of a large number of other organisations, local authorities and members of the public were also received and considered.
The sector review document has been available in the library of the House of Commons since March 1991. Various representations have been made by hon. Members, although none, until now, by the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond).
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§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that coastguard auxiliaries are not penalised in any way for speaking against the proposals contained in the coastguard review consultation document.

§ Mr. McLoughlin
Auxiliary coastguards are volunteers, not employees of the Department. When engaged on coastguard business they are afforded the same treatment as regular coastguard officers. While they are not under obligation to do so, they would be expected to communicate matters of concern through their immediate line management in the normal way. Auxiliary coastguards are, of course, free to make representations to their Members of Parliament in the usual way.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the consultations, including dates of any meetings and correspondence, which took place on the north coast of Scotland on the review of Her Majesty's coastguard sector organisation, with(a) local authorities, (b) coastguard staff and (c) the public.

§ Mr. McLoughlin
All coastguard district management teams and sector officers within Aberdeen region, including the north coast of Scotland, were consulted personally by regional management over the sector review during the consultative period lasting from February to June 1991. Consultations were numerous, and all views of the coastguard staff so aired were considered.
Since this was an internal review local authorities and the public were not directly approached until the review recommendations were announced in the House.
Hon. Members representing constituencies on the north coast of Scotland have had access to the sector review document, which was placed in the House of Commons Library in March 1991.