Task Group seeks six-month extension to ETV contract
The Chairman of the UK Emergency Towing Vessels Task Group, Councillor Michael Foxley, who is Leader of The Highland Council, has written to the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Transport, UK Government, seeking a six-month extension beyond September of this year to the existing contract for the four ETVs which patrol UK coastal waters to enable an alternative model to be developed.
Councillor Foxley says the Government’s decision to completely withdraw the ETVs without the introduction of alternative arrangements is “precipitous and carries enormous risks” and represents a gamble which threatens considerable financial, environmental, commercial and reputational damage.
The ETV Task Group was established to “make best endeavours to identify funding to retain a fit-for-purpose ETV capability across the UK on a regional basis” that could assist the Department of Transport to continue to provide this critical service.
Councillor Foxley says that whilst the Task Group maintains that the primary responsibility for this emergency response capability must remain with the UK Government, through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, it recognises that the challenging budgetary circumstances that we all face require the current provision to be reviewed.
Councillor Foxley said: “Despite our best efforts we have been unable to find any evidence to suggest that the ETVs could be funded solely, or even mainly, through commercial alternatives.
“However, there are real opportunities for the financial burden of the ETVs to be shared with other public sector partners who benefit from the level of protection that these vessels provide – notably, the Ministry of Defence, the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Crown Estate. There is also potential to explore whether Scottish Government Departments and its Agencies could also contribute. Potential options for funding the ETVs are included in the attached summary document.
“These recommendations have been drawn up though engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and we believe they genuinely offer opportunities for the ETVs to be retained, whilst at the same time providing the UK Department of Transport with budget savings.
“We understand from statements made by the Minister, Mike Penning, MP, that the current contract for the ETVs does not provide best value. We have not been able to gain sight of the contract due to understandable concerns regarding commercial confidentiality, but have no reason to doubt that the contractual arrangements could be improved upon. An extension of the current arrangements would provide time for revisions to be made to the contract specification so that ETVs operate on a more cost effective basis and provide better value for money in the future. Time needs to be provided to identify these improvements.
“The Task Group wholeheartedly supports and welcomes the conclusions set out in the recently published report of the Parliament’s Transport Select Committee. Nevertheless, the Task Group does acknowledge that the Government must ensure value for money. That is why we are recommending that an alternative model needs to be developed which will achieve savings whilst at the same time protecting this essential service. We believe it is sensible to take a pragmatic approach to this issue which balances risk against budgetary pressures. The initial proposal to remove the ETVs without a replacement provision simply represents a gamble which threatens considerable financial, environmental, commercial and reputational damage.”
Councillor Foxley has also written to the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Defence to draw their attention to the risks posed to their areas of business should the withdrawal of the ETVs proceed without the availability of other vessels to respond in the event of an emergency and to ask for their assistance in this matter.