Examination of witnesses (Questions 540
- 552)
WEDNESDAY 1 JULY 1998
MR JOHN
BALLARD, MR
CHRIS BREARLEY
and MR DAVID
ROWLANDS
540. In this instance, the Chief Executive
is lucky not to be sitting here, Mr Rowlands, and you are unlucky
to be sitting here. So let us start again. Has the Chief Executive
given specific instructions to the Coastguard——
(Mr Rowlands) No.
541. To undertake the work that was previously
undertaken by the surveying section?
(Mr Rowlands) Remember, the original question
was why had we merged the two and what would we get out of it,
and what I was describing was the potential to use the Coastguard
to give you a presence on the coast that you did not have when
it was just an MSA responsibility. The Chief Executive has been
tasked by Ministers to review the way the newly-merged Agency
operates.
542. That is part of his five-year strategy.
(Mr Rowlands) And to respond certainly by the
end of the year; and what he is looking at is ways where potentially
the Coastguard does not replace surveyors, they continue to do
everything they have already done, but supplements them on a much
more day-to-day basis. And that is what he is looking at now and
what he will report to Ministers.
Mr Donohoe
543. You cannot possibly justify the reduction
of surveyors at a time when you indicate that safety is becoming
worse; how is it possible for you, at a time when there is a reduction
in surveyors, to expect that you are going to improve upon safety?
(Mr Rowlands) The question you asked me, though
I could not give you the precise figures, was whether there were
as many surveyors today as there were some years ago, and the
answer is there are not, the numbers have reduced. They have partially,
at least, reduced because some of the work that the old Marine
Safety Agency used to undertake has been delegated out to classification
societies and their surveyors are undertaking it, rather than
MSA surveyors. But there has been no recent reduction in the number
of surveyors, I was comparing the present position with some years
back.
544. And, at the same time as this is going
on, you are reducing the number of stations?
(Mr Rowlands) No decision has been taken to reduce
the number of stations.
545. But there is a proposal——
(Mr Rowlands) There is a proposal, I agree.
546. For there to be a fairly substantial
reduction in the number of stations that there are?
(Mr Rowlands) The present position is that a consultation
was undertaken earlier in the year. Ministers are still considering
the outcome of that consultation. Those proposals involved the
closure of four of the 21 Maritime Rescue Centres and the co-location
of two others on the South Coast.
Chairman
547. Yes; we might argue with you about
the definitions of co-location. But what progress has been made
with the implementation of the five-year strategy that was announced
last year? Is it now on hold, is it part of this reassessment?
Can you give us, when you give us, because I know you are going
to give us, another note, are you not, on staff and certainly
on the problems of definition?
(Mr Rowlands) The present position is that the
five-year strategy had two elements, if I can put it simply. The
first element was to replace the existing Rescue Centre communication
equipment, which is old, 1980s, analogue equipment, with modern
digital equipment. It was that change that gives the flexibility,
if that is what Ministers so conclude, to reduce the number of
stations themselves. It is not effectively possible with the existing
communications equipment, because it does not have the flexibility.
As I say, no decisions have been taken on station closures following
the consultation, the issue is still with Ministers. It does remain
the case that the existing analogue kit will need to be replaced
with digital equipment, there cannot be any question about that,
because it is old technology, the equipment itself is no longer
manufactured, the Coastguard has a stock of spares but once it
is through that it will not be able to replace failing kit. So
that bit of strategy must be undertaken.
548. But the implications of some of that,
on concentrating in particular areas and leaving large stretches
of the coastline covered in a different way, are very real?
(Mr Rowlands) It would involve, if there were
station closures, switching aerials to flank stations, where the
coastguards there would have to monitor those aerials.
549. Mr Rowlands, let us not be too clever
about it; if you are in the water the fact that people can hear
where you are but cannot get to you is of really rather academic
interest?
(Mr Rowlands) But the Coastguard from the Rescue
Centres does not get to anybody because they just stay in the
Rescue Centres. It is either the RNLI or the Coastguard helicopters,
or military assets, which actually pick people out of the water.
550. And, of course, local knowledge is
of very great importance in giving that instruction to whichever
rescue service it is sent?
(Mr Rowlands) The consultation document which
was issued earlier in the year suggested that the concept of local
knowledge in a Rescue Centre was rather overestimated.
551. Yes, but that was a document that needed
to be replied to, and I think was replied to in some detail by
many people.
(Mr Rowlands) Indeed.
552. Good. Now then. I really think, gentlemen,
you have been very patient, very entertaining. We shall await
the next volume of your memoirs with considerable impatience,
and I assume that you will be writing to us in some detail?
(Mr Ballard) Yes, we will. Thank you.
Chairman: We are very
grateful to you, Mr Ballard. Thank you very much. Doubtless, we
shall meet again ere long. Thank you, gentlemen.
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