Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the expected response time is of a coastguard search and rescue helicopter to an incident in the Firth of Forth.

Her Majesty’s Coastguard search and rescue (SAR) helicopter base at Prestwick is geographically closest to the Firth of Forth. It would take approximately 28 minutes to reach an incident in the Firth of Forth once a SAR helicopter has taken off from its base.

This is dependent however on the weather, helicopter availability and location. The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) will consider all these factors and task the most appropriate asset to respond to an incident. HM Coastguard also has the ability to surge up to five Coastguard SAR helicopters to a single incident in the Firth of Forth, should it be necessary to do so.