Sheryll gets reassurance that no closures will take place until new plans show improved coastguard service.
Quoting the words of the PM earlier this year Sheryll questioned the Minister saying, “The Prime Minister told this House on 30 March: ‘We want to make changes only if they improve coastguard support that people in fishing communities and elsewhere get…If that is not the case, we will obviously have to reconsider reforms”.[Official Report, 30 March 2011; Vol. 526, c. 336.]
“If, as many sea users at all levels from rear admirals to professional yachtsmen believe, the trial of a new control centre demonstrates the loss of local knowledge to be an added danger to any sea user, will the Minister reconsider his plans for closing any coastguard co-ordination centres, as the Prime Minister has already mentioned?”
Mike Penning: I thank my hon. Friend for her important question. One point in having Fareham open so early is that we will be able to trial the new system early, which will mean that no centres will close before the robustness of the system is demonstrated. Should there be any blips in the system, I can assure my hon. Friend that no station will close until we have the level of resilience that we do not have today.
Sheryll has now called on all sea users and local Coastguards to monitor the trial of the new Marine Organisation Centre and bring any concerns to her attention. Sheryll says, “If there is any evidence of reasonable concerns that the new plans are a danger to sea users, especially through a lack of local knowledge, I will be holding the Minister and the Prime Minister to their promise.
“I will be asking for full evidence that the robustness of the system is fully proved by the government and until that time I will continue to campaign that Brixham, as well as other stations around the country, remain fully open and manned as they are today to provide the best possible protection around our coast.”
Ends