Minister steps in to prevent coastguard station closure
1511024 SSHC stock fife ness Fife Ness Coastguard Station
intervention of the Scottish Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP, in the proposed closure of the Fife Ness Coastguard Station has been welcomed.
North East Fife MSP Rod Campbell has given his backing to Mr Brown following his submission of evidence to the Commons Select Committee on Transport.
The minister has also called for a meeting with the new UK transport and shipping ministers./
Mr Campbell told the Citizen this week: ‘‘I am very pleased to see the Scottish Government doing all it can to prevent this proposed loss at Fife Ness.
‘‘I have been saying for a long time that this move is a mistake, and could lead to several more injuries, or worse, at sea in the coming years.
‘‘The coalition Government’s handling of this issue has been very poor from the beginning, culminating in the false hope offered by the Prime Minister in July when he claimed stations due for closure would remain open until 2015.
‘‘I share the hope that a change of British shipping minister could mean a change of mind.
EVIDENCE
‘‘The wrong decision has been made by the UK Government and I fully support the work of the Scottish Government in trying to keep the coastguard station open.”
Mr Brown submitted further evidence to the Select Committee following their previous investigation into coastguard modernisation.
The recent cabinet reshuffle in Downing Street saw Mike Penning MP removed as shipping minister to be replaced by Stephen Hammond MP.
At present, Fife Ness is scheduled to cease operations on September 28.
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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