Debate on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, in the House of Commons, led by Alistair Carmichael. The answering member was Keir Mather.

Coastguard Volunteers: Remuneration and HMRC Guidance

Motion that this House has considered HMRC guidance and remuneration of coastguard volunteers. Agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 788 cc414-441WH
Session: 2026-27
Department: Department for Transport
Chamber / Committee: Westminster Hall
Related items: HMRC guidance and remuneration of coastguard volunteers
Friday, 26 June 2026
Research briefings
Proceeding contributions: Alistair Carmichael | 788 cc414-5WH (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered HMRC guidance and remuneration of coastguard ...; Amanda Martin | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
I know of no CRO who gives their time and skills for the money, but the way in which they have re...; Amanda Martin | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
I have spoken to you about taking interventions today, Mr Shelbrooke. So many people are in the C...; Joe Robertson | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
This is the intervention.; Joe Robertson | 788 c415WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving way and congratulate him on securing this really impo...; Alistair Carmichael | 788 cc416-7WH (Link to this contribution)
Possibly the least surprising thing that the House will hear today is that I agree with every wor...; 788 c417WH (Link to this contribution); Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c417WH (Link to this contribution)
Order. I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to catch my eye. Colleagues can see how...; Nia Griffith | 788 cc417-8WH (Link to this contribution)
I will try to keep to your limit, Sir Alec.
The work of the Burry Port coastguards is absol...; Douglas McAllister | 788 c418WH (Link to this contribution)
I am concerned that the small allowance for coastguards, to which my hon. Friend refers, is what ...; Nia Griffith | 788 cc418-9WH (Link to this contribution)
Indeed I do.
Sir Alec, just think how much time and effort our volunteer coastguard rescue ...; Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c419WH (Link to this contribution)
Order.
2.47 pm; Ashley Fox | 788 c419WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Or...; Christine Jardine | 788 c419WH (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Member talks about the responsibilities. Does he agree with what the coastguard in South...; Ashley Fox | 788 cc419-420WH (Link to this contribution)
I agree with the hon. Lady: I think those volunteers have been poorly treated.
The payments...; Tony Vaughan | 788 c420WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a privilege to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I pay tribute to the brilliantly dedic...; Helena Dollimore | 788 c420WH (Link to this contribution)
My constituency neighbour and I share a coastline, and we know the important work that CROs do. D...; Tony Vaughan | 788 cc420-1WH (Link to this contribution)
I entirely agree. That is absolutely key. A coastguard officer said to me that the money they get...; Brendan O'Hara | 788 c421WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Sir Alec. I congratulate and thank the right hon. Membe...; Lorraine Beavers | 788 cc421-2WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec, and I thank the right hon. Member fo...; Chris Webb | 788 c422WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour for giving way. Does she agree that the coastgu...; Lorraine Beavers | 788 c422WH (Link to this contribution)
I do.
To make things even worse, according to the GMB, members were informed of the removal...; Jayne Kirkham | 788 c422WH (Link to this contribution)
Coming from Falmouth in Cornwall, I know that coastguards and the brilliant work they do are cruc...; Lorraine Beavers | 788 cc422-3WH (Link to this contribution)
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend and I am sure that the Minister will look at that suggesti...; Liz Saville Roberts | 788 c423WH (Link to this contribution)
Diolch o galon i holl wylwyr y glannau am eu gwaith. [Translation: Heartfelt thanks to all the co...; Amanda Martin | 788 c423WH (Link to this contribution)
Portsmouth coastguard rescue officers responded to 171 incidents last year, and I rise to express...; Liz Saville Roberts | 788 cc423-4WH (Link to this contribution)
I agree entirely. A CRO suggested to me that we should look at the model for retained firefighter...; 788 c424WH (Link to this contribution); Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c424WH (Link to this contribution)
Order. I am going to break with convention ever so slightly. The next speaker will be the hon. Me...; Lara Bird | 788 cc424-5WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing the debate.; Lloyd Hatton | 788 cc425-6WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this timely de...; Jim Shannon | 788 c426WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkne...; Robin Swann | 788 c426WH (Link to this contribution)
We should remember that this change will have an effect across all the United Kingdom, including ...; Jim Shannon | 788 c426WH (Link to this contribution)
That is the whole reason why we are here. We are their voice in this place for them.
From P...; Anna Gelderd | 788 cc426-7WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec, as we debate an issue that matters so d...; Andrew George | 788 c427WH (Link to this contribution)
I warmly congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael), no...; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c427WH (Link to this contribution)
You know me too well!; Andrew George | 788 c427WH (Link to this contribution)
I do know my right hon. Friend too well. I also warmly congratulate the hon. Member for Arbroath ...; Ben Maguire | 788 c428WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend and Cornish neighbour for giving way and join him in commending the Cornis...; Andrew George | 788 c428WH (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is right, and I will come to that in a second. I want to share quotes from some of...; Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c428WH (Link to this contribution)
I do want to let everybody have a chance to put something on the record but, due to interventions...; Bayo Alaba | 788 c428WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Or...; Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c429WH (Link to this contribution)
Order. I call Edward Morello.
3.20 pm; Edward Morello | 788 c429WH (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Sir Alec. I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmicha...; Irene Campbell | 788 c429WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Or...; Richard Foord | 788 cc429-430WH (Link to this contribution)
For coastguard rescue officers, remuneration provides recognition of the sacrifices that they and...; Rachel Gilmour | 788 c430WH (Link to this contribution)
We are a proud seafaring nation—as John Evelyn put it, the “sea is England’s element”—and the coa...; Angus MacDonald | 788 c430WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this...; Josh Babarinde | 788 c430WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this...; Steff Aquarone | 788 cc431-2WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I congratulate my right hon. Friend ...; Greg Smith | 788 cc432-3WH (Link to this contribution)
It is, as always, a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I congratulate the right...; Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c433WH (Link to this contribution)
Order. I am about to suspend the sitting due to Divisions in the House. I will aim to come back e...; Greg Smith | 788 cc433-5WH (Link to this contribution)
Back from the Division break, we can think about the possible impact of the court judgment and th...; Keir Mather | 788 c435WH (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I am beyond grateful to the right hon. ...; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c435WH (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the Minister for his recognition; I am sure that his words will have been heard ...; Keir Mather | 788 cc435-7WH (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Member for his contribution and for the points he made earlier, which I wi...; Jim Shannon | 788 c437WH (Link to this contribution)
I know that the Minister is responsive to our requests, so will he take the time to speak to the ...; Keir Mather | 788 cc437-8WH (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman raises an important point about CROs across the United Kingdom feeling that th...; Brendan O'Hara | 788 c438WH (Link to this contribution)
As the Minister knows, the changes of duty will come into place in September. He will be aware of...; Keir Mather | 788 c438WH (Link to this contribution)
I am committed to continuing to engage with CROs, trade unions and Members of Parliament on that ...; Steff Aquarone | 788 c438WH (Link to this contribution)
Might I gently suggest that it would be easier for colleagues to understand the Government’s conc...; Keir Mather | 788 c438WH (Link to this contribution)
I have heard the hon. Gentleman’s point. I will have a conversation with my officials about what ...; Andrew George | 788 c438WH (Link to this contribution)
All the Minister’s points apply to retained firefighters. He cannot say that we cannot appropriat...; Keir Mather | 788 cc438-9WH (Link to this contribution)
Those considerations and how they would affect the lives of CROs are not immaterial, although I k...; Liz Saville Roberts | 788 c439WH (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Keir Mather | 788 c439WH (Link to this contribution)
I am afraid that I will not take any more interventions; I have to get through my remarks.; Liz Saville Roberts | 788 c439WH (Link to this contribution)
It is about impact assessments.; Keir Mather | 788 cc439-440WH (Link to this contribution)
I have given way plenty of times.
This is a complex challenge that we must all work through...; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c440WH (Link to this contribution)
Apologies for de-knighting you earlier, Sir Alec. I thank all hon. Members who took part in the d...; Alec Shelbrooke | 788 c440WH (Link to this contribution)
Order. Mr Carmichael, you have been a Member of this House an exceptionally long time. You know t...; Alistair Carmichael | 788 c440WH (Link to this contribution)
I am bereft, Sir Alec. I do hope that nobody goes back and looks at the footage of me when I was ...
Subjects: Conditions of employment Compensation Injuries Pay Maritime and Coastguard Agency Taxation Voluntary work
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Coastguard Volunteers: Remuneration and HMRC Guidance

Secondary information

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