Coastguard Volunteers: Remuneration and HMRC Guidance Debate
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Anna Gelderd
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Coastguard Volunteers: Remuneration and HMRC Guidance
Anna Gelderd Excerpts(1 month ago)
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Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec, as we debate an issue that matters so deeply to communities in South East Cornwall. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing the debate.
Truthfully, this debate is about people. It is about those dedicated coastguard rescue officers who leave family dinners, children’s birthdays, Christmas day celebrations and their homes in the middle of the night to respond when somebody else is in danger. They are often the first on the scene when someone is trapped on the coastline, caught in mud, stranded on a cliff or at risk of rising tides. They do not consider whether it is a convenient time; they simply respond. Some descriptions of their role simply do not reflect that reality. I have heard the role publicly described as being only a few hours a week in a volunteer capacity, which does not speak to the sleepless nights and multiple call-outs.
Officers have talked to me about the hours spent at incidents in really difficult conditions, including in my own village very recently. They talk about mandatory weekly training, travelling at their own expense and giving up significant personal time to maintain the skills that save lives. They are highly trained emergency responders carrying out category 1 response work. They understand the spirit of volunteering and public service and many are proud to give their time in that spirit, but they also carry legal responsibilities; they wear the uniform of a Government agency and they respond as part of our blue light emergency response system. The appropriate measure to deal with that must be engaged with.
I want to address remuneration. Officers question why training can be unpaid, why they often travel at their own expense and the impact that might have on family finances. They want to do this job in the spirit of volunteering but they must be recognised. I ask the Minister not to view the issue through just one lens but to engage with them, perhaps visit me in South East Cornwall and undertake discussions in that spirit, which is so important for our communities.