Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what savings the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made from the Survey and Inspection Transformation Programme to date.

The Survey and Inspection Programme was initiated to overcome challenges the Agency was facing in meeting its obligations because of critical shortages of appropriate skilled and qualified staff. Efficiencies are being realised, through estate rationalisation and improved business and operational process but, these are all being reinvested in order to meet the Chief Secretary of the Treasury requirement for cost neutrality.

The Estates Rationalising Plan, developed following public consultation and set out in the Business Case, aims to reduce the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s footprint per person and realise annual savings of some £400k. This work is not yet complete but remains on target in terms of time and cost.

Once completed, the effectiveness and achievement of planned savings will be reviewed.