Local MPs have welcomed the government’s decision to abandon plans to no longer offer an hourly reimbursement to coastguard rescue officers (CROs).
It follows sustained campaigning by the coastguard community, many of whom had threatened to quit or reduce their availability, and pleas from MPs across the country.
Minister for aviation, maritime and decarbonisation Keir Mather confirmed on Wednesday that the proposed changes, due to come into effect in September, will no longer go ahead.
Instead, current arrangements will remain in place while further work is undertaken to understand the impact of any future changes and engage directly with CROs.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) had said it needed to change how the service operated after a court ruled volunteers should be classed as workers entitled to benefits such as sick pay and holiday pay.
About 400 coastguard rescue officers working across 36 teams in Devon and Cornwall were at risk of losing £11 per hour which they received for emergencies and training when the MCA proposed an “expenses-only volunteer model”.
There were fears by MPs that it would lead to a drop in morale among the highly trained officers and a survey carried out by the MCA showed that at least a quarter of all volunteers would quit or reduce their hours across the UK, rising to as high as 56% in the South East and southern England regions.
Responding to the U-turn by the government North Devon Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome said: “This is a victory for coastguard rescue officers and for common sense.
“It was clear to me that these changes had been introduced without properly listening to the people who give up their time to save lives along our coastline. So I’m glad the government has recognised that the process needs to be revisited.”
He thanked everyone who contacted him and helped make the case.
“I’ll continue pressing ministers to ensure coastguard rescue officers receive the recognition they deserve and that any future proposals are shaped by those who know the service best.”
Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View Fred Thomas said: “This is the right call, and it’s a huge relief.
“I heard directly from Plymouth’s coastguard rescue officers about what these changes would have meant – for their team, and for people in genuine danger who rely on them coming out.
“I raised that in parliament because Plymouth’s coastguards deserved to be paid fairly, and I’m very glad the government has listened and thought again.
“There’s more work to do to get this right long-term, but for now, our coastguard rescue officers can get on with the brilliant job they do.”
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday Keir Mather said he had listened to the views and testimonies of CROs and said they would be “treated with the dignity and respect they deserve” and the government would “get the system right”.
“When those on the ground raise concerns of the scale we have seen and the evidence base provides insufficient we need to look again,” he said.
MPs said they were grateful that the “brutal decision” had been overturned.
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