§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the budget of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been for each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement on their role. [109135]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) role is to provide a 24-hour maritime search and rescue function, to survey and inspect ships, and to protect the marine environment.
The budgets of the MCA since 1997 are set out in the table:
£000 Budget 1997–98 1— 1998–99 86,491 1999–2000 92,672 2000–01 99,816 2001–02 108,641 2002–03 111,662 1Not applicable. The MCA came into being on 1 April 1998.