Jim says: "I was delighted,
last year, to receive the news from Government
that the SAR helicopter at Portland will
be retained and funding given to build the
new hangar.
A significant amount of effort was made
by local people, the local media, the staff
and myself, to campaign to keep the SAR
helicopter service at Portland. Thank you
for your support.
The decision makes it clear that the Government
recognised the strength of local feeling
on this issue. Furthermore, the Government
took note of the facts, which illustrate
that the helicopter is the busiest search
and rescue operation in the country. To
remove it would have cost lives, and that
has been proven on a regular basis since
we received the news that it had been saved.
I do believe that without the ongoing pressure
from all involved, a decision may have been
taken some time ago to the detriment of
South Dorset. Moreover, the amount of support
assisted my work in Parliament. I held regular
meetings with the relevant ministers, secured
a debate and asked several parliamentary
questions on the floor of the House of Commons.
Below you can read about the work I did
in Parliament, to secure the future of this
rescue service."
Parliamentary Questions
Portland Search and Rescue Helicopter
- Hansard, 16 Jan 2003 : Column 700W
Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary
of State for Transport if he will publish
the risk assessment of the safety implications
of moving the Portland search and rescue
helicopter to Lee-on-Solent.
Mr. Jamieson: An operational analysis
of the Portland area helicopter was carried
out for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA) by consultants for internal purposes.
The analysis is technical in nature and
is considered to be commercially sensitive
and is therefore exempt from disclosure
under Section 13 of Part 2 of the Code of
Practice on Access to Government Information.
Discussions about the future of the helicopter
base are continuing.
Portland Search and Rescue Helicopter
- Hansard, 15 Jan 2003 : Column 681
Jim Knight: In May last year, Mr.
Andrew Shirley of Birmingham came within
minutes of drowning at Durdle Door in my
constituency. He was saved thanks to the
eight-minute response time of the Portland
search and rescue helicopter, which is based
in my constituency. Is my right hon. Friend
aware that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
is considering relocating that helicopter
to Lee on Solent, adding 30 minutes to the
response time—time that Mr. Shirley
and the many others saved by the helicopter
simply do not have? I have done all that
I can to raise the issue in the House and
with Ministers, but is not it time now for
the Department for Transport to improve
its response time and decide whether it
is willing to commit £2 million as
a one-off payment to save our lifesavers?
The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend
is absolutely right about the magnificent
work that the coastguard does for us. I
am aware that the Maritime and Coastguard
Agency has been debating whether to move
one of the helicopters, and the matter is
being studied by my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State for Transport. Urgent
discussions are continuing, and we will
let my hon. Friend know the results of those
discussions as soon as we can.
Parliamentary Motions
Early Day Motion: 'The future of Portland
search and rescue helicopter' Tabled by Jim Knight MP
That this House endorses the vision of
the Maritime and Coastguard Agency 'to be
a world-class organisation committed to
preventing loss of life'; is concerned that
the Agency is considering relocating the
Portland Search and Rescue helicopter to
Lee-on-Solent because of the clear risk
to life that would result; notes that this
part of England's coast has now been given
world heritage status by UNESCO and is increasingly
attractive to walkers, climbers, divers,
sailors and those engaged in other watersports;
further notes that this increases the need
for a locally based helicopter rescue service;
and calls on the Maritime Coastguard Agency
to continue to operate a search and rescue
helicopter from Portland.
