The Government has confirmed that plans to privatise the Search and Rescue service (SAR) throughout Britain have been suspended. As reported on Walkhighlands on 26 January, the Royal Bank of Scotland pulled out of the consortia bidding to run the privatised service following allegations that commercially confidential information had possibly been leaked to one of the companies taking part in the bid. Ministry of Defence (MOD) police are now investigating this allegation.
The Government now say that the preferred supplier consortia, Soteria, will not be used. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, issued a statement to Parliament saying: “In mid December, the Preferred Bidder in the SAR-H competition, Soteria, had come forward to inform the government of irregularities regarding the conduct of their bid team which had only then recently come to light. The irregularities included access by one of the consortium members, CHC Helicopter, to commercially sensitive information regarding the joint MOD/DfT project team’s evaluations of industry bids and evidence that a former member of that project team had assisted the consortium in its bid preparation, contrary to explicit assurances given to the project team.”
Mr Hammond also confirmed that the Government would now be looking into other procurement options for the long term future of the SAR helicopters as well as how best to maintain SAR cover until a new longer term arrangement can be put in place.
The privatisation plans covered the helicopters used to search for lost and injured walkers and climbers in Scotland. The plans did not affect the Mountain Rescue Service which will continue as a voluntary service, although Mountain Rescue Teams work in close cooperation with the SAR, and the Government has said that the service will remain free to use.
It was planned that the private service would combine the current work of the RAF, navy and coastguard. The planned privatisation has been controversial from the start, with particular concerns about HMS Gannet at Prestwick where over 100 crew and other staff are based.
This morning (8 Feb) Labour MP, Brian Donahoe, whose constituency includes HMS Gannet, told Radio Scotland that he agrees with the SNP that the search and rescue helicopter service should not be privatised.