Vol. 395 No. 6
11 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for the Marine if he has received the final report of the Review Group on Rescue Services; if it is intended to publish the report; if it is planned to allow private helicopters to play a role in rescue services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
67 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Marine , having regard to the importance of search and rescue off our coast, when the report of the review body will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
94 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for the Marine if and when the Government will publish the findings of the Government Review on Search and Rescue; and, if not, the reason.
I propose to take Priority Question No. 11, and Questions Nos. 67 and 94 together.
I received today the final report of the Review Group on Air-Sea Rescue Services. I hope to submit their recommendations to the Government as soon as possible. It will then be a matter for the Government to decide whether or not to publish the report. I do not wish to discuss the report's contents in advance of Government consideration of recommendations made.
I welcome the announcement that the review group have completed their deliberations and that their report is with the Minister. It should be recalled that it is more than a year since the committee were appointed and that the Minister agreed to act on their recommendations. I accept that the Minister, and the Government, must have an opportunity to reflect on the report. Will the Minister be recommending to the Government that the report be published?
I am the fastest reader in Western Europe but I only received the report at midday today and as I have not even opened the front page of it I am not in a position to give an answer to that question.
Will the Minister accept that the issue of publication, or not, as a principle is one that could be considered? Will the Minister agree that he should have had a view on that matter since it is almost a year since the review body were appointed? Is the Minister telling us that lest there is something in the report that might embarrass the Government or that they may not be prepared to accept he may withhold such important information from the public and those concerned?
I am saying that I have not read the report and before I read it I am not making any statement about it. One of the curses of our society in the past has been either commendation or damnation of books and literature that people have not read.
Having regard to the fact that we are very much at the preliminary stage of consideration of the report I should like a commitment from the Minister that, in view of the many questions hanging over the current efficacy of our sea rescue services and the new Dauphins, he will move with all expedition and have the matter resolved in the shortest possible time?
I agree that it is necessary to act quickly and I intend to do so.
We will wait and see.
