The Government supports the use of geographical indications (GIs) and will prioritise continued protection for our UK food and drink. The EU rules that currently govern the enforcement of geographical indications will be placed on a UK legal basis through the EU Withdrawal Bill.

Ministers meet regularly in a variety of fora for discussions on such issues.

The new flexible shift patterns and the ability for areas covered by the new HM Coastguard structure to be handled by any Coastguard within it mean workload is managed nationally rather than on a centre by centre basis. This enables HM Coastguard to proactively match available staff across the whole network to its busiest areas and times, both daily and seasonally.

Therefore, it is more relevant to consider the total number of Coastguards available on the growing national network.

As of 6 March this network, and the benefits it delivers, stretches from Beachy Head to the Mull of Galloway. The transition of the national network around the United Kingdom will be complete by December 2015.

These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at the current individual centres err strongly on the side of caution. As each centre joins the evolving national network, the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant.

Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

Work continues on the fresh appraisal I have asked for on the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.

Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during February 2015 Stornoway MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 56 shifts, and Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 15 occasions out of 56 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.

Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during January 2015 Stornoway MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 31 occasions out of 62 shifts, and Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 25 occasions out of 62 shifts.

Work continues on the fresh appraisal I have asked for on the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.

Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.

Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during December 2014 Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 62 shifts and Stornoway was staffed below risk assessed levels on 41 occasions out of 62 shifts.

During 2014 the MRCCs at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed below risk assessed levels at the same time 126 occasions out of 730 shifts during 2014.

I have asked for a fresh appraisal of the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.

Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.

Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during December 2014 Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 62 shifts and Stornoway was staffed below risk assessed levels on 41 occasions out of 62 shifts.

During 2014 the MRCCs at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed below risk assessed levels at the same time 126 occasions out of 730 shifts during 2014.

I have asked for a fresh appraisal of the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.

Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels during:

a) October 2014 – 40 occasions out of 62 shifts

b) November 2014 – 40 occasions out of 60 shifts

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements gives a new significance to the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.

During June 2014 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on 25 occasions out of 60 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

The radio sites covering the Clyde, Arran and Ayrshire coast were transferred to Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) when Clyde MRCC closed in December 2012.

As part of the pairing ‘infrastructure’ there is a fixed link between Belfast and Stornoway MRCCs which enables Coastguards at Stornoway MRCC to have permanent radio access to the entire Belfast MRCC radio estate (or vice versa). In addition the MRCCs at Aberdeen or Shetland can ‘dial in’ to provide further support if required.

Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels during:

(a) April 2014—12 occasions out of 60 shifts

(b) May 2014—14 occasions out of 62 shifts

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

During March 2014 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on six occasions out of 62 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty's Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

During February 2014 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on five occasions out of 56 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty's Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

During January 2014 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on five occasions out of 62 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty's Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

I have asked officials at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to compile the data for the period asked. The process to compile the data involves reconciliation from multiple sources. I will write with the information requested once this has been collated and a copy will be placed in Libraries of the House.

During December 2013 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on 13 occasions out of 62 shifts.

Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty's Coastguard is using the current long-established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in November 2013 on 14 occasions out of 60 shifts.

These situations are mitigated by 'MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Stornoway MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Belfast MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland or Humber.

Every effort is being made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more Coastguards filling 28 vacancies with a further 31 recruits in the final stages of appointment. A further recruitment campaign was launched on 6 November. With this and now that negotiations with the Trade Union have concluded with 79% of PCS members voting to accept the new terms and conditions, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.

Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in October 2013 on eight occasions out of 62 shifts.

These situations are mitigated by “MRCC pairing” where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Stornoway MRCC, mutual support is available through a fixed link from Belfast MRCC and dial-up links from the MRCCs at Shetland or Humber.

Every effort is being made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards filling 28 vacancies, with a further 31 recruits in the final stages of appointment. A further recruitment campaign was launched on 6 November. With this, and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded with 79% of PCS members voting to accept the new terms and conditions, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.