To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider granting a consultation period to interested parties before withdrawing the 41mm pistol and rockets and light line and floating head attachments from the coastguards and beach rescue services; what is he annual cost of maintenance for this equipment for the last five years; and how often this equipment has been used in the last five years to effect a rescue or to place a light line aboard a small craft.

This is an operational matter and not one on which wider consultation is appropriate. The equipment, which is obsolete, is being withdrawn as from 31 March.The floating head attachments were withdrawn from use in 1979. They caused an imbalance in the rocket projectile leading to an erratic and dangerous trajectory. The total cost of maintaining the line throwing equipment over the last five years was £170,143.Using the present statistical system it is not possible to determine how many times the equipment was used to effect a rescue or place a light line aboard a small craft.