§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give for each of the last 10 years the full details of(a) coastguard station closures and (b) the number of sector posts reduced by (i) promotion, (ii) retirement and (iii) non-filling of vacant posts.
§ Mr. NorrisIn the last 10 years the following coastguard rescue centres have been closed: Shoreham—1983; Tees—1984; Hartland Point—1988; Peterhead—1989; and Ramsey—1989.
There have been no sector posts reduced in the last 10 years by promotion, retirement or the non-filling of vacant posts.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport which office posts, in which districts, will be affected by the proposed efficiency savings for the Coastguard Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Coastguard Agency, along with other DOT executive agencies, has submitted proposals on how a 20 per cent. improvement in efficiency could be achieved. The Secretary of State is currently considering these proposals. No decisions have yet been made and it is not possible to give details of the office posts or districts which will be affected.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of staff competence arising from fatigue relating to changed duties in coastguard stations around the country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisDuring the 12 years that HM coastguard's existing watch structure in rescue co-ordination centres has been in place, there has been no documented evidence to suggest it has been necessary to conduct an assessment of the effect of staff competence arising from fatigue.