Hansard

Coastguard Minute 20/96

Volume 302: debated on Monday 1 December 1997

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Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the text of Coastguard Minute 20/96 sent to coastguard stations in July 1996 [18191]

Ms Glenda Jackson

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Coastguard agency, Mr. C. Harris, to write to the hon. and learned Member.

Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. James Wallace, dated 1 December 1997:

The Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Coastguard Minute 20/96.
I enclose a copy of Coastguard Minute 20/96 "SAR situation reports (SITREPS) and morning press reports" as requested.
  • HM COASTGUARD
  • Coastguard Minute 20/96
  • Distribution C
  • Sar Situation Reports (SITREPS) And Morning Press Reports
  • Ref: A. CG3 Vol. 3 Part 2 Section 7
  • B. CG3 Vol. 2 Part 5 Section 1
  • 1. Representations have been received at CGHQ concerning the publication in Lloyd's List of information on alerts, emergencies and equipment failures, passed by the Offshore Industry and Merchant Vessels to HM Coastguard in good faith and on the understanding that there will be an embargo on further publication. However, despite the "For information not for publication" affix, these articles are being published.
  • 2. Staff should be well aware of the value of rapid and open reporting between Industry and ourselves and should be conscious that unnecessary media emphasis on what turns out to be a precautionary report is not conducive to maintaining the necessary rapport. We must however, also be mindful, as a government agency, of being aware of the publics' expectation for us to report emergency incidents without fear or favour.
  • 3. (a) Effective upon receipt of this minute, SAR situation reports are not to be transmitted to Lloyds, except where positive SAR1 action occurs.
  • Reports in accordance with Ref. B (Paragraph 1.6.2) are to continue, however to clarify the situation, the term "wreck or casualty" does not include precautionary alerts or reports of vessel stoppages.
  • (b) In accordance with Ref. A, SITREPS should normally only be sent when positive SAR action is taken or required; for example, precautionary alerts from an offshore installation or a report of a vessel stopped for mechanical repairs would not normally warrant a SITREP unless/until the situation deteriorated.
  • 5. In future, tighter control is to be maintained on the occasions when SAR SITREPs are released to external authorities. SWOs/DMTs/RDOs are to assess the requirements for SITREPs more rigorously, paying particularly attention to the SITREP address list.
  • 6. Morning reports to CGHQ should continue as per Ref. A. Where these are used for external distribution, they should be edited to reflect only those incidents where positive SAR action was taken.
  • 7. This Coastguard Minute remains extant until superseded or incorporated into Coastguard Instructions.
    • J ASTBURY
    • Chief Coastguard
    • 15 July 1996
    • Department of Transport—CG2 2/1/5/15
    • Coastguard Minute 19/96 was circulated Distribution B;
    1 Positive SAR is where assets are mobilised and despatch to an incident.