To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether surveys or questionnaires have been issued to Coastguard Rescue Officers in relation to changes to remuneration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether surveys or questionnaires have been issued to Coastguard Rescue Officers in relation to changes to remuneration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's revised volunteer model for Coastguard Rescue Officers on the level of maritime and coastal search and rescue provision along the Ceredigion Preseli coastline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's revised volunteer model for Coastguard Rescue Officers on the level of maritime and coastal search and rescue provision along the Ceredigion Preseli coastline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in the context of the (a) Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision to cease paying volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers for their time and (b) financial costs associated with providing this voluntary service, what steps her Department is taking to help mitigate the financial...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in the context of the (a) Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision to cease paying volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers for their time and (b) financial costs associated with providing this voluntary service, what steps her Department is taking to help mitigate the financial...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made of the potential impact of moving to a volunteer-with-expenses model for Coastguard Rescue Officers from September 2026 on recruitment, retention and operational readiness in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made of the potential impact of moving to a volunteer-with-expenses model for Coastguard Rescue Officers from September 2026 on recruitment, retention and operational readiness in Northern Ireland.

I am making this statement to provide an update on the Coastguard Rescue Service. I would like to begin by recognising the extraordinary contribution made by Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) across the United Kingdom. For generations, HM Coastguard’s coastal response has depended on people from local communities who choose to...

I am making this statement to provide an update on the Coastguard Rescue Service. I would like to begin by recognising the extraordinary contribution made by Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) across the United Kingdom. For generations, HM Coastguard’s coastal response has depended on people from local communities who choose to...

My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport (Keir Mather), has made the following Ministerial Statement.

I am making this statement to provide an update on the Coastguard Rescue Service. I would like to begin by recognising the extraordinary contribution made by Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) across the United Kingdom....

My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport (Keir Mather), has made the following Ministerial Statement.

I am making this statement to provide an update on the Coastguard Rescue Service. I would like to begin by recognising the extraordinary contribution made by Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) across the United Kingdom....

Q4

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Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD):

Like others, I have always respected the Prime Minister as somebody who was in politics because he wanted to give service to his country, and he has earned our gratitude for that. In my constituency, those who volunteer as coastguard rescue officers also do so from a wish to give service to their community. In the time that remains for him in office, will the Prime Minister ensure that the money paid to them properly reflects the respect that they earn for their service?

Q4

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Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD):

Like others, I have always respected the Prime Minister as somebody who was in politics because he wanted to give service to his country, and he has earned our gratitude for that. In my constituency, those who volunteer as coastguard rescue officers also do so from a wish to give service to their community. In the time that remains for him in office, will the Prime Minister ensure that the money paid to them properly reflects the respect that they earn for their service?

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that really important question, and I will start by wishing him a very happy birthday. This issue is really important. I pay tribute to every volunteer; they show incredible bravery in putting their lives at risk to save others. Our guiding principle is ensuring that we respond to this complex case by properly recognising their vital work. Ministers will continue to work with all parties, the coastguard rescue service and volunteers to respond to their concerns and get this right. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise this very important issue, and we will be on it.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that really important question, and I will start by wishing him a very happy birthday. This issue is really important. I pay tribute to every volunteer; they show incredible bravery in putting their lives at risk to save others. Our guiding principle is ensuring that we respond to this complex case by properly recognising their vital work. Ministers will continue to work with all parties, the coastguard rescue service and volunteers to respond to their concerns and get this right. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise this very important issue, and we will be on it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 12027 on HM Coastguard, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending legislation to facilitate continued allowances for the Coastguard Rescue Service, including using a Legislative Reform Order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 12027 on HM Coastguard, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending legislation to facilitate continued allowances for the Coastguard Rescue Service, including using a Legislative Reform Order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Coastguard staffing arrangements on volunteer retention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Coastguard staffing arrangements on volunteer retention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the proposed staffing changes on Coastguard operations in North West England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the proposed staffing changes on Coastguard operations in North West England.

My Lords, in the light of a Westminster Hall debate last week, representations from coastguard rescue officers and unions, and other information, the Maritime Minister in the other place has been clear on the need to listen and to reflect on the way forward, which he is doing. That is why further scheduled engagement by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency this week has been paused.

My Lords, in the light of a Westminster Hall debate last week, representations from coastguard rescue officers and unions, and other information, the Maritime Minister in the other place has been clear on the need to listen and to reflect on the way forward, which he is doing. That is why further scheduled engagement by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency this week has been paused.

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble kinsman for that Answer.

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble kinsman for that Answer.

Oh!

Oh!

I have waited a long time to use that expression, and it is a pleasure to do so. The judgment of the Court of Appeal on 14 January was entirely predictable: that coastguards are what lawyers call limb (b) workers. However, the decision of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in response to that, was not predictable. It has degraded that status to nothing at all and removed the protections that Parliament bestowed on limb (b) workers for our heroic coastguards. Those coastguards are no longer entitled to the national minimum wage for the hours they work—indeed, to any payment at all. They are not entitled to paid holiday, to apply for protection from unlawful deductions from wages, to the protection of whistleblowing or to seek recognition for collective bargaining. Following the Court of Appeal case, which turned on this issue, they are not entitled to a trade union representative in a disciplinary hearing. Can my noble kinsman say whether he will use all the weight he can bring to bear to lean on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to get it to reverse this awful decision?

I have waited a long time to use that expression, and it is a pleasure to do so. The judgment of the Court of Appeal on 14 January was entirely predictable: that coastguards are what lawyers call limb (b) workers. However, the decision of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in response to that, was not predictable. It has degraded that status to nothing at all and removed the protections that Parliament bestowed on limb (b) workers for our heroic coastguards. Those coastguards are no longer entitled to the national minimum wage for the hours they work—indeed, to any payment at all. They are not entitled to paid holiday, to apply for protection from unlawful deductions from wages, to the protection of whistleblowing or to seek recognition for collective bargaining. Following the Court of Appeal case, which turned on this issue, they are not entitled to a trade union representative in a disciplinary hearing. Can my noble kinsman say whether he will use all the weight he can bring to bear to lean on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to get it to reverse this awful decision?

I am not sure that I am as grateful to my noble kinsman as he is to me—but, as usual, I will answer his questions. This change has not taken place yet; it is due to take place in September. There is time for my colleague, the Maritime Minister in the other place, to listen and reflect. I have talked to him three times today and I will talk to him again after this Question. He will reflect deeply on what he has heard and what needs to be done.

I am not sure that I am as grateful to my noble kinsman as he is to me—but, as usual, I will answer his questions. This change has not taken place yet; it is due to take place in September. There is time for my colleague, the Maritime Minister in the other place, to listen and reflect. I have talked to him three times today and I will talk to him again after this Question. He will reflect deeply on what he has heard and what needs to be done.

My Lords, the staff survey on which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has relied in making its case has been reported in the press as having been misrepresented by the agency to Ministers and, consequently, by Ministers to Parliament. In that

light, do the Government still have confidence in the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency? Do they continue to rely on that staff survey?

My Lords, the staff survey on which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has relied in making its case has been reported in the press as having been misrepresented by the agency to Ministers and, consequently, by Ministers to Parliament. In that

light, do the Government still have confidence in the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency? Do they continue to rely on that staff survey?

I have two things to say. First, in the course of the Maritime Minister reflecting on what he has heard, he will reflect on the accuracy and veracity of the information he has been given. Therefore, it is far too early to say what the consequence of that might be. Secondly, he has asked his officials to tell him the data that can be legitimately released so that Members of Parliament in the other place and Peers in this Chamber can hold the Government to account.

I have two things to say. First, in the course of the Maritime Minister reflecting on what he has heard, he will reflect on the accuracy and veracity of the information he has been given. Therefore, it is far too early to say what the consequence of that might be. Secondly, he has asked his officials to tell him the data that can be legitimately released so that Members of Parliament in the other place and Peers in this Chamber can hold the Government to account.

My Lords, does the Minister agree that making it so much harder for working people on low incomes to serve as coastguard rescue officers may jeopardise this life-saving service? Therefore, in this period of reflection that he has described, will he ensure that assessment is made of the impact on the diversity of workforce in this context?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that making it so much harder for working people on low incomes to serve as coastguard rescue officers may jeopardise this life-saving service? Therefore, in this period of reflection that he has described, will he ensure that assessment is made of the impact on the diversity of workforce in this context?