Key facts
- UK government has reversed its decision to stop hourly pay for volunteer coastguard officers.
- The plan was met with intense criticism and threats of reduced hours or departures from the service.
- The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) had proposed ending payments to reclassify officers as pure volunteers.
- A leaked internal survey indicated the MCA was aware of the risks associated with the proposed change.
- The maritime minister confirmed the decision in parliament, stating current arrangements will continue.
The UK government has reversed its plan to stop hourly payments for volunteer coastguard officers following widespread criticism. Ministers had proposed ending the remuneration to reclassify the officers as pure volunteers, a move that had drawn strong opposition from the coastguards themselves, their union, and members of parliament.
Maritime Minister Keir Mather announced the U-turn in the House of Commons on Thursday, stating that the plan to move to an expenses-only volunteer model in September would not proceed and that current payment arrangements would be maintained. This decision comes after coastguard rescue officers (CROs) had campaigned against the proposed changes, with many indicating they would reduce their hours or leave the service if the pay cut went ahead.