House of Commons Transport Committee The Coastguard, Emergency Towing Vessels and the Maritime Incident Response Group: follow up Sixth Report of Session 2010–12 Volume II Additional written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be published 12 September, 22 October, 12, 26 November 2012 Published on 11 December 2012 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited The Transport Committee The Transport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department for Transport and its Associate Public Bodies. Current membership Mrs Louise Ellman (Labour/Co-operative, Liverpool Riverside) (Chair) Steve Baker (Conservative, Wycombe) Jim Dobbin (Labour/Co-operative, Heywood and Middleton) Mr Tom Harris (Labour, Glasgow South) Julie Hilling (Labour, Bolton West) Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative, Spelthorne) Mr John Leech (Liberal Democrat, Manchester Withington) Karen Lumley (Conservative, Redditch) Karl McCartney (Conservative, Lincoln) Iain Stewart (Conservative, Milton Keynes South) Graham Stringer (Labour, Blackley and Broughton) The following were also members of the committee during the Parliament. Angie Bray (Conservative, Ealing Central and Acton), Lilian Greenwood (Labour, Nottingham South), Kelvin Hopkins (Labour, Luton North), Paul Maynard, (Conservative, Blackpool North and Cleveleys), Gavin Shuker (Labour/Co- operative, Luton South), Angela Smith (Labour, Penistone and Stocksbridge), Julian Sturdy (Conservative, York Outer) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/transcom. A list of Reports of the Committee in the present Parliament is at the back of this volume. The Reports of the Committee, the formal minutes relating to that report, oral evidence taken and some or all written evidence are available in a printed volume. Additional written evidence may be published on the internet only. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Mark Egan (Clerk), Farrah Bhatti (Second Clerk), Tony Catinella (Senior Committee Assistant), Adrian Hitchins (Committee Assistant), Stewart McIlvenna (Committee Support Assistant) and Hannah Pearce (Media Officer). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Transport Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 6263; the Committee’s email address is [email protected] List of additional written evidence (published in Volume II on the Committee’s website www.parliament.uk/transcom) 1 Simon Dent Ev w1 2 Steve Sim Ev w1 3 Colin Tomlinson Ev w1 4 FIRE Project Ev w2 5 Clyde Branch of the PCS Ev w5 6 PCS member serving at MRCC Clyde Ev w9 7 Chris Jameson Ev w10 8 The Scottish Government Ev w13 9 National Coastguard SOS Campaign Group Ev w14 10 Ian McLean Ev w23 11 Toby Reynolds Ev w23 12 PCS Brixham Branch of the MCA Ev w24 13 Inverclyde Council Ev w25 14 Welsh Govenment Ev w27 15 Matthew Mace Ev w28 16 RNLI Ev w30 17 Louise Pooley and Mike Hillen Ev w30 18 Dennis Laird Ev w32 19 Outer Hebrides Coastguard Task Group Ev w32 20 Save Milford Haven Coastguard Campaign Ev w34 21 Murdo Macaulay Ev w36 22 Sandra Beech Ev w36 23 Martin Caton MP Ev w37 24 Richard Drax MP Ev w38 25 Dr Ian Mew Ev w42 cobber Pack: U PL: COE1 [SO] Processed: [07-12-2012 14:58] Job: 024874 Unit: PG01 Source: /MILES/PKU/INPUT/024874/024874_w025_michelle_SAR2-DrIanMew.xml Transport Committee: Evidence Ev w1 Written evidence Written evidence from Simon Dent (CFU 01) As a member of the public I am concerned that areas of the UK are going to be left without an adequate coastguard service by the governments proposed changes. The closure of 9 coastguard centres in my opinion could cause a delay in existing stations reaching emergencies putting lives at risk. Also news that these centres will close before the new facility is trialled and set up completely is quite alarming and will only add to people’s fears. People want to feel safe when around the UK coastline and knowing there is a local coastguard with knowledge of local tide information and the local area is vital to public confidence. I urge the committee to review the closure plans in the interest of public safety and review all reports again. August 2012 Written evidence from Steve Sim (CFU 02) As a volunteer CG for almost 38 years (20 as Station Officer) I feel I must comment on the changes which are happening to HMCG. We were told that the new CG would not effect the Rescue Service but after a short space of time it would seem the effects are already happening. In our area our training has been cut from 40 hours per year to 24 with a new line management system which is remote an inexperienced. CSM’s areas have become much larger, the decision making process has become less involved with the troops and I have to say communication between the front line and the management team is becoming less and less. I received an email to myself from our previous CSM of the smaller Liverpool District, explaining the hours allowed for training which was in answer to a question I placed. The answer was honest and I feel appropriate. It can be seen that this senior manager felt at the time that training hours were still not enough but had secured 31 hours nationally and an extra 10 hours for the area. Only this week we are told that the hours are now 24 per year, not enough to secure the safe health and safety of CRO’s who’s competencies get more arduous and detailed as the years go on. CRO’s undertake coastal rescue, with cliff mud and water rescue implications, the CRO and the casualty safety seem to be compromised with the cut in training. The agency has being shouting from the roof tops that extra full time staff will increase the skills of the CRO but less training hours and poor communication need to be addressed before the increased costs in the new management system of the CR Service. HMCG has been in my blood since I was 16 and as a volunteer have seen many changes, but it would seem that the present management are even more remote and listen even less. Perhaps you should take verbal evidence from some of the volunteers as the great Mrs Dunwoody did at Liverpool many years ago. A number of us gave evidence at the MRSC she listened to the coal face and was a delight to meet. August 2012 Written evidence from Colin Tomlinson (CFU 03) As a serving Coastguard Officer of more than 39 years I have witnessed many changes in the Service, and the closure of MRCCs has always been with us. In my time we have gone from over 300 coastguard stations to 28 Rescue centres down to 18 before the reorganization proposals. These proposals are a long time coming and the reorganisation should have been put into progress earlier rather than later. I am not sure I agree with the location of all those stations which are to remain open nor those that are set to close, nor do I agree with all of the closure proposals. However as the Manager of Yarmouth MRCC, I can honestly state that the work stream has indicated over the years a slowdown of coastal incidents to such an extent that we are running 50% less then we were five years ago. A large proportion of these incidents are now being dealt with by RNLI Lifeguards , a service that is saving lives each day. My view is that the closures are taking to long, staff at my station are now leaving to find new jobs, or remaining for the payout depending on their outlook and status. I have now the unenviable task of trying to keep morale high, with low staffing levels and staff that unless they move with the job will be out of work this time next year. It is my view that HMCG should strive to move forward as quickly as possible to ensure we retain as many staff as we can with the skills required for the new roles that they face. The world has moved on and the service needs to move on or stagnate. cobber Pack: U PL: COE1 [E] Processed: [07-12-2012 14:59] Job: 024874 Unit: PG01 Source: /MILES/PKU/INPUT/024874/024874_w025_michelle_SAR2-DrIanMew.xml Ev w2 Transport Committee: Evidence The CEO should be given full support from Government with a message that finance is available and provided to ensure we end up with a service for the future. August 2012 Written evidence from FIRE Project (CFU 04) 1. The maritime safety coverage of the British Isles and further waters is unusually rich but, changes, to any one part of that coverage, have the capacity to make a significant impact on the other organizations involved in saving life and increasing safety on water. In looking at a reduction of Coastguard Stations to save costs, there is need to consider how this service interacts with all of the other available SAR services, most of which are funded by the public and by corporate sponsorship and gifts. 2. The British Isles are fortunate in having the RNLI as an independent organization funded by donations and free of short-term political interference.