McMillan Speaks in Coastguard Debate

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP) has today (Thursday) spoken in a Scottish Government Debate on Maritime Safety and Coastguards.

Mr McMillan used his speech to highlight the reckless and ill-though decision by the UK Con/Lib Dem Government to close Clyde Maritime Rescue & Co-ordination Centre (MRCC).　 Mr McMillan was a passionate campaigner in support of retaining Clyde coastguard and maintaining the local knowledge of staff which is so vital to this service.　

Mr McMillan said;

"I spoke in this Parliamentary debate with a heavy heart. This week, campaigners for the Clyde MRCC based in Greenock heard the news they and the Inverclyde Community had been dreading – the Greenock base is to close.

"I wholeheartedly support the 31 men and women who work in Greenock delivering the full range of coastguard services. Their skill, expertise, understanding and local knowledge covering 2,500 miles of Scottish coastline will be hard to replicate.

"It’s vital to maintain the local knowledge of the men and women who serve at MRCC Clyde.

"MRCC Clyde is the busiest coastguard station in Scotland and the third busiest in the UK.

"Therefore, the dangers of the closures are clear as they threaten to leave us with too few coordination centres, too few staff and a lot less local knowledge."