Examination of Witnesses (Questions 106-119)
MR JON
GIFFORD AND
MR MARK
DANSON-HATCHER
9 FEBRUARY 2005
Q106 Chairman: Good afternoon gentlemen.
May I ask you to identify yourselves for the record?
Mr Gifford: I am Jon Gifford,
chairman of the trustees of National Coastwatch.
Q107 Chairman: And?
Mr Danson-Hatcher: I am Mark Danson-Hatcher;
I am the deputy chairman of the NCI Declared Facility Assessment
Panel.
Q108 Chairman: Thank you very much. May
I ask you whether you want to say something before we begin?
Mr Gifford: I think I would rather
that you fired at us.
Q109 Chairman: How does the National
Coastwatch Institute contribute to search and rescue?
Mr Gifford: Basically our object
is to assist in the preservation of life at sea and along the
UK coastline through a series of staffed watch stations using
trained volunteers. 10% of our watchkeepers are ladies. We respond
to the Maritime Coastguard Agency, HM Customs, the Ministry of
Defence, RNLI, police, local authorities and wildlife and pollution
agencies. Those are the ones basically, apart from the public.
Q110 Chairman: Is your contribution recognised
by your involvement in the formal search and rescue structures?
Mr Gifford: That is questionable.
It depends on the situation. If we have stations with declared
facility, in other words, they have made a declaration and they
have been properly and fully assessed, they are considered as
fit parts of the search and rescue operation. Those that are training
or in existence, but not assessed, are also there, but they are
not considered officially part.
Q111 Chairman: How would you say the
numbers broke down in relation to those that had been assessed?
Are we talking 20%, 30%?
Mr Gifford: Twenty-seven stations
and of those, 10 assessed at the moment with more planned for
this year, quite a number more.
Q112 Chairman: What are you relations
with the coastguard?
Mr Gifford: At coast level, very
good, excellent. At the administration level, I would question
it.
Q113 Chairman: In what sense would you
question it?
Mr Gifford: My colleagues and
I have a feeling that we are tolerated, rather than wanted.
Q114 Chairman: So the local coastguards
not only understand that you are efficient and useful and presumably
want to keep those good relationships, but the administration
regards you as a bit of an irritation.
Mr Gifford: That is an impression
that is growing.
Q115 Chairman: Why is it growing, Mr
Gifford?
Mr Gifford: Agencies to whom we
respond tell us that they have noticed a cooling between ourselves
and MCA at the top level. This is not the case where it matters,
on the coastline.
Q116 Chairman: One may have one's reservations,
but the top level of the Marine Agency do have some involvement
into what goes on in the organisation.
Mr Gifford: Absolutely.
Q117 Chairman: Has anybody indicated
to you that there is some specific reason why there is a cooling?
Mr Gifford: No, not to me.
Q118 Chairman: Do you have a formal arrangement
with the coastguard?
Mr Gifford: Yes, we have a memorandum
of understanding with the coastguard and HM Customs.
Q119 Chairman: Do you think we really
need you, Mr Gifford?
Mr Gifford: I am absolutely convinced
that what we do is necessary, otherwise the quality volunteers
we have, and there are over 1,000 of them, would not do it.
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