‘Deeply irresponsible’ to cut coastguard payments, MSPs say
SHETLAND’S MSP has urged the UK Government to put an urgent stop to plans to stop paying coastguard volunteers for attending call-outs and training exercises.
Hannah Mary Goodlad has joined with fellow island MSPs including Orkney’s Liam McArthur to criticise the proposed move from the UK Government-funded Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
They have called it “deeply irresponsible” and said it could threaten the lives of islanders, in a letter to aviation, maritime and decarbonisation minister MP Keir Mather.
It was revealed earlier this month that the MCA is to remove an ability for coastguard rescue volunteers to claim around £11 per hour for attending call-outs and training exercises.
It followed a legal judgement involving the case of a former rescue officer, who took the MCA to an employment appeal tribunal over the status of volunteers.
This meant that rescue officers would be treated as workers rather than volunteers.
Local community safety and resilience board chairman Allison Duncan also criticised the change, saying it could have “serious implications” for Shetland.
Goodlad, who was elected to represent Shetland in May, said she had spoken to first minister John Swinney about the removal of remunerations.
She said that that Swinney has “added his pressure into this too”.
The letter is co-signed by MSPs for Argyll and Bute, and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – as well as Highlands and Islands list MSP Kristopher Leask.
The group say they are “deeply concerned” about the potential impact of the new model on the strength of coastguard teams, particularly in island communities.
“This seems to be yet another decision taken in London which is far removed from the realities of coastal and island life in Scotland, and has not considered the size of our coastline and our more extreme weather and geographical landscapes and the vital importance of maintaining a strong coastguard service across our island communities,” they wrote.
“We are also concerned at the way in which the process of consulting on and implementing the change seems to have been undertaken.
“Many of us have met with groups of local officers in our constituencies who are angry at the way in which they feel they have been treated by the MCA and UK government in this process.”
Many people “do not feel as if their views have been properly taken into account, or that viable alternatives have been given due consideration”, the group said.Some also felt that a survey which led to the decision was “biased towards a volunteer only model”.
And some questioned why the change had been implemented weeks before the provisions of the new Employment Act came into effect, adding these were “provisions which would offer them greater protection against changes like this being made to their roles”.
“In service to their communities, officers often forego important family events, work commitments and sleep,” the group wrote.
“The removal of remuneration for call-outs will significantly impact some officers’ finances, and make it harder to recruit and retain volunteers.”
The potential for increased risk of loss of life or harm to islanders is “stark”, they wrote, calling the change “deeply irresponsible”.
They urged Mather and the UK Government to immediately pause the changes, and to “allow proper dialogue to take place with coastguard officers across the UK, particularly those in island communities, and with union representatives”.
The Shetland community safety and resilience board also agreed this month to write with its concerns about the change.
A spokesperson for the MCA previously said: “After careful consideration, we are moving the coastguard rescue service to a revised volunteer model, to best protect the future of the service.
“This decision follows a legal judgment, which means we need to change how the service operates. This new model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to volunteer alongside their primary employment.
“We deeply value and recognise the significant service coastguard rescue officers provide along our coastline, and we will be supporting them during this transition.
“The coastguard rescue service will continue to maintain a robust, effective search and rescue response, ensuring the highest quality of service and levels of safety.”
The MCA had also said volunteers would continue to receive training, equipment, uniforms, personal protective equipment and operational support under the new arrangements.
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