Department for Transport written question – answered at on 22 June 2026.
Ian Byrne
Labour, Liverpool West Derby
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to remuneration arrangements for Coastguard Rescue Officers on levels of public safety.
Ian Byrne
Labour, Liverpool West Derby
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made of the potential impact of ending hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers on team availability for emergency callouts.
Ian Byrne
Labour, Liverpool West Derby
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has conducted an equality impact assessment of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision to remove hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers.
Ian Byrne
Labour, Liverpool West Derby
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative models of compensating Coastguard Rescue Officers for training, operational duties and emergency callouts were considered before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency decided to remove hourly remuneration.
Ian Byrne
Labour, Liverpool West Derby
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will request the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to pause the implementation of changes to Coastguard Rescue Officer remuneration while further consultation with Coastguard Rescue Officers and their teams takes place.
Keir Mather
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers. They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer.
Contingency plans are in place to enable the continuation of maritime and coastal search and rescue.
Coastguard Rescue Officers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment as they do today.
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