Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox has renewed his call for action to protect volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers after a Commons debate about changes that will see volunteers lose payments for attending emergency callouts.
His comments come afteer Ashley Fox’s second intervention in Parliament on the issue, where he warned that the changes could affect recruitment and retention, particularly in coastal communities such as Burnham-On-Sea. The issue was first reported here by Burnham-On-Sea.com on June 4th.
Ashley Fox says he is concerned both for the safety of residents and visitors, and for the volunteers themselves. He said on BBC Radio Somerset: “The Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world. I’m concerned for the safety of our residents and our tourists, but I’m also concerned for our dedicated volunteers, who I think have been treated very badly.”
Ashley said the modest payments were never a salary, but helped volunteers cover the real cost of giving up work and family time to respond to emergencies. He warned that withdrawing those payments without fully assessing the impact could lead to experienced volunteers leaving the service.
During a Westminster Hall debate on 1st July, Sir Ashley praised the Burnham-On-Sea Coastguard Rescue Team and highlighted the unique challenges they face protecting one of the country’s most hazardous coastlines.
He told MPs: “The payments were never a salary, but they made it possible for people to continue volunteering.”
He has criticised the Government for failing to act sooner following the Court of Appeal ruling that prompted the changes, adding that ministers had known for months that the judgment was likely, but failed to prepare a legislative solution before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency withdrew the payments.
The Burnham-On-Sea MP suggested creating a new legal category of “volunteer worker”, allowing Coastguard Rescue Officers to continue receiving modest compensation for their time without being classified as workers under employment law.
Although the Government has now announced it will review the situation, Ashley said action should have come much sooner. He said:
“I’m pleased they’re taking action now, it’s just far too late. Had the Government given some thought to this matter, we could have passed a short Act of Parliament to ensure these payments continued.”
Ashley added that he will continue pressing ministers until a long-term solution is found that protects both volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers and public safety.
