Coastguard Rescue Officers in Withernsea, Hornsea and across the country have won a reprieve after the Government abandoned plans to end their payments from September.
Transport minister Keir Mather confirmed in a statement to Parliament on Thursday, July 16, that the proposed move to an expenses-only volunteer model would not go ahead and current arrangements would remain in place.
The decision follows opposition from Coastguard Rescue Officers, trade unions, coastal communities and MPs, including Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart, who backed the national Save Our Coastguard petition and repeatedly raised concerns in Parliament.
The proposed changes followed a Court of Appeal judgment on January 14 in the case of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency versus Groom.
The court found that, by providing modest remuneration, the MCA had inadvertently created a worker relationship with Coastguard Rescue Officers.
The Government said a change was therefore needed either to restore a volunteer model or formally introduce a worker model in order to comply with the judgment.
On June 1, the MCA announced that Coastguard Rescue Officers would move to an expenses-only volunteer model from September, ending the payments they currently receive for call-outs and training.
However, Mr Mather said the Department for Transport had since carried out further work to examine the information used to support the decision after listening to the concerns of officers and MPs.
He said: “Given these concerns, my department has undertaken further work to scrutinise the information that was provided to inform decision making.
“Having done so, it has become clear that parts of the information gathering process to inform MCA operational decisions, in particular, the two surveys undertaken, were not sufficiently detailed to properly reflect the impact of these changes.
“I can therefore confirm that plans to move to the expenses-only volunteer model in September will not go ahead, and current arrangements will remain in place.”
Mr Mather said Coastguard Rescue Officers must feel their views had been heard and that they were valued, respected and empowered to carry out their duties.
He added that the MCA would carry out further engagement with officers, trade unions and MPs over the coming months before any future decisions were made about the service.
Mr Mather said: “In the longer term, the Department for Transport will explore options for how Coastguard Rescue Officers can continue to be rightfully recognised and rewarded and have the flexibility to continue to serve their communities.
“Ensuring the safety of the public along our coastline and continuing to properly recognise those who protect our communities through their vital work remain my key priorities.”
Mr Stuart had encouraged residents in Beverley and Holderness to sign the Save Our Coastguard petition and submitted a written parliamentary question on June 5 asking ministers to assess the financial effect on officers who lose income from their main employment or businesses while responding to emergencies.
He later raised the issue directly in the House of Commons during an Urgent Question, warning that visitors to coastal communities needed to know trained officers would continue to be available when lives were in danger.
Mr Stuart asked: “When thousands and thousands of people go to the coast this summer and onwards, how can the Minister ensure that they can continue to rely on courageous Coastguard Rescue Officers in future, as they have been able to in the past?”
He also paid tribute in Parliament to the Withernsea Coastguard Rescue Officers who responded to the tragedy off the town’s coast on January 2, when Grace Keeling, Sarah Keeling and Mark Ratcliffe lost their lives.
Mr Stuart told MPs that Coastguard Rescue Officers had worked in terrible conditions through the day and late into the night as the emergency services tried to save lives.
Welcoming the Government’s decision, he said: “This is a victory for the brave Coastguard Rescue Officers at Withernsea Station and across the country.
“The response to the tragedy off Withernsea on January 2 showed the very best of our Coastguard, RNLI volunteers, Hornsea Inshore Rescue and emergency services.
“They went out in terrible conditions and did everything they could to save lives.
“When the Government announced plans to end payments, Coastguard Rescue Officers warned clearly that experienced people could reduce their hours or leave the service.
“I backed Joe Robertson’s national campaign, asked ministers about the financial impact on officers and raised the threat to public safety directly in the House of Commons.
“I am pleased the minister listened to CROs, MPs and coastal communities and stopped the September change.
“He deserves credit for admitting that the evidence behind the decision was not good enough.
“This reprieve is important, but it is not the end of the matter.
“The Government must now work properly with Coastguard Rescue Officers on a long-term model which respects their service, rewards the hours they give and keeps our coastal communities safe.”
Joe Robertson MP, who launched the national Save Our Coastguard campaign, also welcomed the decision but said the Government must now consult fully with the country’s more than 3,000 Coastguard Rescue Officers.
He said: “It is very welcome news that the minister has seen sense and blocked the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s brutal decision against its own brave frontline workers.
“The Government now needs to look at the whole Coastguard Rescue Service model and consult fully and meaningfully with the more than 3,000 Coastguard Rescue Officers.
“Whatever decisions are finally taken, the Government must ensure that our hero CROs continue to be remunerated for the hours they put in helping to save lives and keep our coastal communities safe.”