Carmichael welcomes protection of coastguard helicopter readiness

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has welcomed the government’s announcement today that the current readiness state for coastguard search-and-rescue helicopters based at Sumburgh in Shetland and Stornaway will be protected at the existing level of 15 minutes during the daytime and 45 minutes at night, calling it “a win for islanders, by islanders”.

Mr Carmichael led a debate on the future of coastguard helicopter services in which the Minister for Maritime, Mike Kane MP, made the concession, following proposals from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in 2023 to quadruple response times from the base at Sumburgh. During a previous debate led by Mr Carmichael in November 2023, the then-government committed to a review of the plans, which led to the policy reversal announced today.

Reacting after the debate, Mr Carmichael said:

“This is exceptionally welcome news. It will be a breath of relief for everyone who works and travels at sea around the Northern Isles and indeed across the UK.

“Fundamentally it is a win for islanders, by islanders. If it had not been for the actions of whistleblowers and local journalists to bring these plans to light as early as they did, we might have been faced with a “done deal” and no way to reverse it. As it is, we have shown the difference that can be made by acting fast and refusing to back down on the services that really matter to us.

“I have to give credit to the minister. He has listened, recognised the problem and acted on it. That is not always something we can take for granted.

“It would be nice, of course, if the fight to protect the helicopter service had not been necessary in the first place. The lesson for the government – which should be kept in mind when they consider the future of other services such as the emergency tug in the isles – is that such arguments are not worth having. We should not be forced to fight to protect these basic services – but if we have to, we will.”