To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail the different geographical areas of responsibility of the various coastguard sector offices following the coastguard sector review.

Her Majesty's coastguard coverage of the United Kingdom coastline is divided up into a total of six regions consisting of 21 districts, which are made up of sectors. Following the sector review, these sectors are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number of coastguard sector officers, the total number of auxiliary coastguards and the number of regular coastguard officers employed (a) in 1984 and (b) at present.

The numbers of coastguard sector officers, auxiliary coastguards, and regular coastguard officers employed in 1984 and at present are as follows. It should be noted that numbers of sector officers employed in 1984 were not compiled separately, but included within the much larger category of coastguard officer grade one, and as such a meaningful comparison with present figures cannot be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to ensure that an effective coastguard service is maintained; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's coastguard will continue to co-operate maritime search and rescue operations from its 21 modern and well-equipped maritime rescue co-ordination centres, and subcentres, supported by the local sector and auxiliary coastguard organisation around the coast.Steps are constantly taken to ensure that an efficient and effective coastguard service is maintained through the introduction and use of up-to-date equipment and a modern communications network, in order to meet changing patterns in coastal activity. Such an example is the recently completed sector review, the outcome of which I announced in the House on 3 December 1991. This included inter alia the doubling of the number of pagers and portable radios to improve readiness and response, and formation of 68 new auxiliary coastguard companies at new locations around the coast to provide better coverage and enhance surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the areas where there will be a reduction in the number of auxiliary coastguards as a result of the sector review.

There is to be a reduction of 566 in the overall number of auxiliary coastguards around the United Kingdom coast. This reflects the transition from manning levels required for operation of breeches buoy equipment—now withdrawn from service—to smaller units dedicated to surveillance and intelligency-gatherinng which is now the primary role for auxiliary coastguards. This reduction in numbers will be spread over four years, and largely achieved by natural wastage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will (a) give for each office full details of the proposed reduction in the number of coastguard sector offices and (b) list the coastguard sector offices whose designation will be suspended as a result of the coastguard sector review.

Under the recent coastguard sector review a reduction in the number of sector offices around the coast was proposed and accepted. In the main this will be achieved by the merging of old sectors to form fewer, new, renamed sectors in improved buildings which in some cases will accommodate two sector officers.In total there is to be a reduction of 38 sector offices around the coast. Within each region these are as follows: