§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution about siting fast afloat boats at Tenby, Angle, St. Justinians and Fishguard by April 1994; and if he will make a statement on their response;
(2) what discussions he has had with the board of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution over the withdrawal of search and rescue operations from RAF Brawdy in April 1994.
§ Mr. NorrisAs a significant provider of dedicated United Kingdom search and rescue—SAT—assets, the RNLI was consulted by my Department on the implications for civil SAR consequent upon the Ministry of Defence future provision of military helicopters, including the withdrawal of such facilities from RAF Brawdy. The decision of the location of their vessels is for them, but the RNLI said that priority would be given to an early allocation in South Wales during 1994 of its new fast afloat boat—FAB. Firm decisions are expected during the first part of 1993 following normal RNLI internal consultation processes and the initiation of procurement procedures.
The RNLI informs us that fast afloat lifeboats will only be stationed at a location where they can be supported. Tenby, Angle and St. Davids (St. Justinians) are slip-launch facilities and the RNLI has no intention of stationing FABs at these stations.