Members of the Transport Committee to visit Falmouth and Stornoway

As part of its inquiry into The Coastguard, Emergency Towing Vessels and the Maritime Incident Response Group, the House of Commons Transport Committee decided to visit at least one Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. The Committee will also take oral evidence from local coastguards and other interested parties away from Westminster.

The Committee intends to visit Falmouth on 18 May to tour their MRCC and take oral evidence. It will then travel to Stornoway on 19 May to visit the MRCC based there and take further oral evidence.

Given the tight deadline that the Committee is working to, the Committee cannot visit every coastguard centre. MPs have decided to visit Falmouth and Stornoway because both these coastguard centres were discussed at length during oral evidence with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 8 February.

Coastguards from other areas are encouraged to submit written evidence and will be given the chance to give oral evidence, either in Falmouth, Stornoway or London.

The Committee Chair, Louise Ellman MP, said "We want to hear the views of everyone affected by the Government's proposals for the Coastguard Service and are looking forward to meeting coastguards in Falmouth and Stornoway during our inquiry. We are sorry that we cannot visit every area affected by the proposals but we are determined to listen to the views of coastguards and others from across the nation".

Further details of the oral evidence sessions to take place in Falmouth and Stornoway will be announced shortly.

 

Further information:

The press notice announcing the inquiry on 17 February is available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/news/coastguard---call-for-ev/