Coastguard cuts slammed by independent committee
27th June 2011
Alan Whitehead has spoken in a debate about the Transport Select Committee’s report on the Government’s proposed changes to HM Coastguard.
The report was highly critical of the Government’s proposals to reduce the number of full-time maritime rescue co-ordination centres in the UK from eighteen to three. The Committee chair called on the government to withdraw the proposals and think again. Dr Alan Whitehead asked the chair of the Committee Louise Ellman MP the following question:
“I have visited the Solent coastguard station, which would be the radio centre for most of the country under the proposals, and it was clear that it would be difficult to achieve local knowledge on the basis of those radio arrangements. Does my hon. Friend agree that even the stations that will be saved under the proposals face inadequate operating arrangements, particularly in terms of local knowledge and radio communication?”
The chair responded;
“I agree with my hon. Friend’s comments. The concern about local knowledge or, perhaps more broadly, situational knowledge cannot be emphasised enough.”
Speaking after the debate the Test MP said;
“The debate on the Select Committee report only serves to further undermine the Government’s position on this issue. Many coastguards were prevented from giving evidence to the committee by the Government and those who did were overwhelmingly critical of the proposals. The Government needs to listen to the UK’s coastguards and come back with new proposals which do not compromise the quality of our excellent maritime emergency services”.
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