Require the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to suspend its plans to remove remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers and move to an expenses-only model, pending an urgent legal, equality and operational review.

Following Groom v MCA, we believe the MCA’s plan to remove CRO remuneration and move to expenses only undermines the judgment and strips recognised workers of rights - In effect, making around 3,500 remunerated CRO roles effectively redundant and asking the same people to continue the same skilled emergency work unpaid. We believe this risks resignations, reduced availability, inequality and a weaker emergency response. Government must suspend the plan pending a legal, equality and operational review.