§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the vehicles currently allocated to the auxiliary coastguard stations and marine rescue sub-centres are due to be replaced;
(2) how many incidents were dealt with by the Marine Rescue Sub-centre at Swansea and at Liverpool in each year since 1988 which would formerly have been dealt with by the Hartland and Ramsay Centres.
(3) how many individuals have been assisted by the marine rescue sub-centres at (a) Swansea and (b) Liverpool in each year since 1988; and how many fatalities occurred in each year in the sectors covered by (i) Swansea and (ii) Liverpool;
(4) if he will list the type of vehicle stationed at Swansea, Milford Haven, Holyhead and Liverpool auxiliary stations and marine rescue sub-centres and when those vehicles were first registered;
(5) how many auxiliary coastguard stations there are around the United Kingdom coast; and how many are equipped with one or more vehicles of their own;
(6) at what rate sector officers are paid when required to cover staff shortages on marine rescue sub-centres;
(7) how many (a) fatalities occurred and (b) individuals were assisted in the sectors covered by the Milford Haven and Liverpool coastguard stations in each year from 1988 to 1994;
(8) how many times serious incidents have occurred when marine rescue sub-centres were understaffed at Swansea, Milford Haven, Holyhead and Liverpool; and what action was taken to overcome the shortage of staff;
(9) how many times sector officers have been withdrawn from their offices to provide cover in marine rescue sub-centres at (a) Swansea, (b) Milford Haven, (c) Holyhead and (d) Liverpool since 1988;
(10) when actual staffing levels have fallen below the guideline staffing levels at Swansea and Liverpool marine rescue sub-centres since 1988; and by how much on each occasion in staff hours;
(11) what were the staffing levels at a (a) the Swansea marine rescue sub-centre and (b) Liverpool marine rescue sub-centre in each year from 1985 to 1994.
§ Mr. NorrisThese are operational matters for the Coastguard Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
732WLetter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 3 March 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions as these questions deal with operational matters, for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive.
PO 1017/94/95 Casualty information prior to 1 January 1990 is not available in the format requested. Since then the number of occasions when the following rescue centres were understaffed during a serious incident are listed below:
Centre Incidents MRCC Swansea Nil MRSC Milford Haven Nil MRSC Holyhead Nil MRSC Liverpool Nil Contingency plans exist to reinforce Operations Room manning in the event of a serious incident, firstly by the management and subsequently with off duty watch officers.
PQ 1018/94/95. Casualty information prior to 1 January 1990 is not available in the format requested.
Milford Haven Liverpool (a) Fatalities 1990 8 9 1991 6 11 1992 10 6 1993 3 15 1994 6 14 (b) Assisted/Rescued 1990 693 469 1991 422 491 1992 638 1,014 1993 614 620 1994 509 581 PQ 1019/94/95. There is no change to a Sector Officer's rate of pay when on watchkeeping duties.
PQ 1020/94/95. There are 396 coastal response teams, 277 of which are equipped with one or more vehicles of their own.
PQ 1021/94/95. The information requested in this PQ is detailed below:
733W
Swansea District Vehicle Data Station Vehicle type When registered Penarth 4 wheel drive (4WD) 1981 Replaced by 4WD 1995 Hartland 4WD 1983 Replaced by 4WD 1995 Llantwit Major 4WD 1984 Croyde 4WD 1985 Westward HO 4WD 1986 Chepstow 4WD 1990 Mumbles 4WD 1990 Burnham on Sea 4WD 1990 Rhossili 4WD 1990 Countisbury 4WD 1990 Portishead 4WD 1991 Pembrey 4WD 1991 Weston super Mare 4WD 1992 Ilfracombe 4WD 1992 Porthcawl 4WD 1992 Porlock 4WD 1993 Barry Island Saloon 1993 Oxwich Saloon 1993 Minehead Saloon 1993 Morthoe Saloon 1993
Swansea District Vehicle Data Station Vehicle type When registered Instow Saloon 1993 Port Talbot Saloon 1993 Clevedon Estate 1994 Watchet 4WD 1994
Milford Haven District Vehicle Data Station Vehicle Type When registered Gwbert 4WD 1984 Aberystwyth 4WD 1985 St. Davids 4WD 1986 Replaced by 4WD 1995 Tenby 4WD 1986 Broadhaven 4WD 1986 Aberdovey 4WD 1990 St. Govans 4WD 1990 Dale 4WD 1991 Fishguard 4WD 1993 Manobier Saloon 1993 Moylegrove Saloon 1993 Borth Saloon 1993 New Quay 4WD 1994 Wooltack Point Saloon 1994 Milford Haven MRSC Saloon 1994
Holyhead District Vehicle Data Station Vehicle type When registered Criccieth 4WD 1983 Replaced by 4WD 1995 Barmouth 4WD 1984 Abersoch 4WD 1985 Rhosneiger 4WD 1986 Porthdinllaen 4WD 1986 Saloon 1993 Rhyl 4WD 1990 Bangor Van 1990 Replaced by Estate 1995 Penmon 4WD 1991 Saloon 1993 Holyhead 4WD 1992 Llandwrog Van 1992 Llandudno 4WD 1993 Moelfre 4WD 1994 Holyhead Mrsc Saloon 1994
734W
Liverpool District Vehicle Data Station Vehicle type When registered Knott End 4WD 1984 Replaced by 4WD 1995 Bootle Van 1985 Portling 4WD 1986 Fleetwood 4WD 1990 Saloon 1993 Whitehaven 4WD 1990 Arnside 4WD 1990 Maryport Van 1990 Kirkcudbright 4WD 1991 Saloon 1993 Burgh by Sands 4WD 1991 Hoylake 4WD 1991 Liverpool MRSC Saloon 1991 Isle of Whithorn 4WD 1992 Millom 4WD 1992 Lytham St. Annes 4WD 1992 Walney Saloon 1993 Workington Saloon 1993 Formby 4WD 1994 PO 1026/94/95. Casualty information prior to 1 January 1990 is not available in the format requested.
Assisted/Rescued Fatalities (a) MRCC Swansea 1990 641 26 1991 1,043 19 1992 762 7 1993 966 10 1994 1,686 5 (b) MRSC Liverpool 1990 469 9 1991 491 11 1992 1,014 6 1993 620 15 1994 581 14 PO 1027/94/95 casualty information prior to 1 January 1990 is not available in the format requested.
Incidents in the former Hartland District dealt with by MRCC Swansea Year Number 1990 117 1991 163 1992 144 1993 187 1994 232
Incidents in the former Ramsay District dealt with by MRSC Liverpool Year Number 1990 36 1991 53 1992 60 1993 53 1994 78 PO 1028/94/95 The vehicle replacement programme is flexible and decided annually depending on the condition and expected future repair costs.
PO 1054/94/95 Basic Watch Levels were introduced on 14 February 1994. Since then the Basic Watch Levels at Swansea and Liverpool rescue centres were:
Number Number MRCC Swansea 1 Senior Watch Officer 3 Watch Officers MRSC Liverpool 1 Senior Watch Officer 2 Watch Officers To fulfil this level of watchkeeping there are currently 4 SWOs and 13 WOs at MRCC Swansea, 4 SWOs and 10 WOs at MRSC Liverpool.
PQ 1055/94/95. Information on watch rosters is only available from 1 January 1993.
- MRCC Swansea
- 1993: 5 occasions of 12 hours each
- 1994: 217 occasions of 12 hours each
- MRSC Liverpool
- 1993: 194 occasions of 12 hours each
- 1994: 153 occasions of 12 hours each
On the occasions above where availability of regular staff fell below the Basic Watch Level the shortfall was made up by the use of operations rooms assistants in compliance with extant Coastguard instructions.
735WPQ 1056/94/95. Such details arc unavailable. As part of their normal duties Sector Officers are required to undertake watchkeeping duties in a rescue centre, to retain competency in these duties and to provide a cross-fertilisation of local knowledge to regular operations room staff.