The Prime Minister has found himself in deep water over a leaked letter which suggested he had given closure-threatened Coastguard stations a temporary reprieve.
Coalition ministers hope to save £7.5 million a year by shutting 10 sites throughout the UK. These include Forth Coastguard station at Fife Ness, which is due to cease operations on September 28 this year.
In a letter to a constituent dated July 12 2012, David Cameron said all 10 stations will stay open for a further three years.
The Prime Minister stated: “Those centres that are planned for closure will remain open until 2015 in order to ensure that the planned transition to the new arrangements will maximise the retention of local knowledge.”
The red-faced PM later wrote a second letter to the constituent, clarifying his Government’s position.
After the initial letter was leaked, campaigners fighting the closures were said to be “pleased” by the unexpected development.
A statement on the Coastguard SOS website said: “With the first of the planned station closures due to take place in less than 12 weeks’ time, this is a significant statement of at least a temporary reprieve from the Prime Minister.”
The trade union representing Coastguard staff at closure-threatened sites reacted with surprise.
“It’s the first I’ve heard about it,” said Steve Quinn, president of the Coastguard section at the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). “As far as I’m aware the Coastguard stations will close long before 2015. I haven’t heard anything different.
“I spoke to staff at Fife Ness recently and they haven’t been told anything different either. In fact, some of them are taking a pay-off on 28 September.”
It is understood PCS contacted the Government for clarification, only to be told that Mr Cameron’s letter contained “a drafting error”.
A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The reform of Coastguard stations will go ahead as planned. The PM has written to his constituent to clarify the matter.”
The error prompted one Fife MSP to accuse Mr Cameron’s coalition Government of being “all at sea” over the reorganisation of the Coastguard service.
SNP MSP Rod Campbell said: “I am astonished by the way that this whole issue has been handled … In case David Cameron is merely confused as to what his Department for Transport is doing, I have written to the UK Transport Secretary to seek vital clarification on the current state of his Coastguard plans.”
A PCS spokesman said: “It appears the Prime Minister doesn’t even understand what cuts he’s making but, more importantly, what their effect will be. Closing these stations will mean the loss of vital local knowledge and put lives at risk.”
Forth Coastguard at Fife Ness covers 344 miles of coastline from Montrose to the north of England. It is expected that the area’s waters will be watched over by stations in Aberdeen and the north of England beyond September.
A watch manager at Fife Ness, who asked not to be identified, said: “We’ve got a date (for closure) so we’ll just sit back and wait. Aberdeen will take over and that will be that.”
He also dismissed any suggestion that the Prime Minister had given him false hope that the closure would be postponed, adding: “I take everything David Cameron says with a pinch of salt, anyway.”