Coordination Centre at Fife Ness

That the Parliament notes with concern the proposal to close the coordination centre at Fife Ness as part of a national programme to reduce the number of centres in the UK from eighteen to 8; believes that the closure of what it sees as a well established locally-based coastguard coordination centre could have a negative impact on the close working relationships that it believes have developed over many years between emergency responders in Fife and the Fife Ness coastguard staff; understands that the proposals put at risk twenty jobs at the Forth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre; believes that the traffic on the Firth of Forth is likely to increase as offshore renewable energy installations are built off the Fife coast and begin operation; considers the cost-cutting proposals, which would leave only one 24-hour manned station remaining in Scotland, to be unacceptable, and believes that closing the coordination centre at Fife Ness, without holding a consultation with the local community, will have significant consequences for the safety of Scotland’s seas.