COASTGUARD STATION CLOSURE (No. 2)

Early day motion 1256, tabled 11 January 2011 by Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour). Signed by 113 members.

That this House is alarmed by the Government's plans to close coastguard stations at Clyde, Forth, Yarmouth, Thames, Portland, Brixham, Milford Haven and Holyhead, with decisions to be made between Shetland or Stornoway and Liverpool or Belfast; notes that this would reduce the number of coastguard stations in the UK from 19 to nine with aggregate job losses of over 220 and have a negative economic impact on coastal communities; is deeply concerned over the maritime and other safety implications of reducing the number of 24-hour coastguard stations in the UK to two; further notes that coastguard officers are some of the lowest paid emergency service staff and frequently take second jobs to supplement annual wages as low as 13,500; recognises that technological advances offer some opportunity for rescues to be co-ordinated from a distance; believes that technology should complement the knowledge of local coastal areas which coastguards possess, not supplant it; and calls on the Government to step back from this hazardous reduction in the number of local coastguard stations.

Signatures by party: Labour 68, Liberal Democrat 18, DUP 7, Scottish National Party 6, Conservative 5, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Alliance 1, Green 1, Independent 1.