Water rescue charities have been awarded £1 million in funding for vital rescue equipment to help keep the UK’s rivers and seas safe.

The money has been made available by the inshore and inland rescue boat grant fund and is the fourth round of funding under this 5-year, £5 million scheme.

Charities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will use this year’s fund to purchase 14 new lifeboats and maritime equipment including lifejackets, helmets, boots, ropes, knives and torches.

Today (7 November 2017), Maritime Minster John Hayes is visiting the Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA), an organisation in the west of England which has received a grant of more than £110,000.

Based in Gloucestershire, the charity operates lifeboat and water rescue services, helping those around inland and inshore waterways, and carrying out flood rescues. The SARA will use the funds towards a new lifeboat to add to its existing fleet and continue their efforts to keep river users safe.

Maritime Minister John Hayes said:

Every day water rescue volunteers risk their safety to protect the lives of people across the UK. Their dedication and highly specialised skills are absolutely crucial to providing inshore and inland rescue services.

This extra money means that the volunteers and charities can purchase the lifeboats and equipment they need. It means that assistance is never far away for those in need or in distress on or around our waterways.

Since its launch in 2014, the grant has provided water rescue services up and down the UK with funding for new boats, vehicles and equipment.

A total of 62 organisations will receive a share of the £1 million funding for 2017 to 2018 after their bids were considered by an expert panel.

Chaired by the Department for Transport and made up of representatives from DfT, DEFRA, devolved administrations, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, RNLI and the Royal Yachting Association, the panel assessed bids taking into account:

• how the equipment listed supports or enhances the organisation’s rescue capability
• evidence that the items funded represent good value for money
• applicants were also required to match fund 10% of the costs of funded items, and to provide a letter of support from the authority that tasks them to rescues

Sir Alan Massey, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said:

These smaller, independent charities are the lifeblood of our communities, playing a vital role in supporting the daily lives of thousands of people across the UK.

We often need to remind ourselves that these brave women and men may be called at any time of the day or night to assist persons in difficulty. Those persons may be lost or injured, in trouble at sea, or needing to be rescued from fast-flowing water or floods.

It’s essential that funding like this is available to independent lifeboats so that they have the proper emergency equipment to aid in rescues. This funding will help meet their goals and ease their financial burden.

The money has been made available by the inshore and inland rescue boat grant fund and is the fourth round of funding under this 5-year, £5 million scheme.

Five charities across the length and breadth of Wales will use the funding to purchase new lifeboats and maritime equipment including lifejackets, helmets, boots, ropes, knives and torches.

They are:

• Ferryside Lifeboat – £7,363.20
• Loughor Inshore Rescue – £10,242.08
• North Wales Mountain Rescue Association – £28,155.44
• Porthmawr SLS – £17,380.62
• Rhoose Lifeguards – £5,679

UK Government Minister in Wales Guto Bebb said:

Wales benefits from countless volunteer and charitable organisations working round the clock to help during emergencies on our rivers, lakes and inshore waters, as well as during flooding and other extreme weather. This funding supports the vital rescue services they provide.

Supporting our volunteers remains an integral part of the UK Government’s ongoing drive for a fairer society. I am delighted to see Welsh rescue services benefitting in this latest round of funding, ensuring they have the equipment and resources they need to provide their crucial, life-saving services.

Maritime Minister John Hayes said:

Every day water rescue volunteers risk their safety to protect the lives of people across the UK. Their dedication and highly specialised skills are absolutely crucial to providing inshore and inland rescue services.

This extra money means that the volunteers and charities can purchase the lifeboats and equipment they need. It means that assistance is never far away for those in need or in distress on or around our waterways.

Since its launch in 2014, the grant has provided water rescue services up and down the UK with funding for new boats, vehicles and equipment.

A total of 62 organisations will receive a share of the £1m funding for 2017-18 after their bids were considered by an expert panel.

Chaired by the Department for Transport and made up of representatives from DfT, DEFRA, devolved administrations, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, RNLI and the Royal Yachting Association, the panel assessed bids taking into account:

• How the equipment listed supports or enhances the organisation’s rescue capability
• Evidence that the items funded represent good value for money
• Applicants were also required to match fund 10% of the costs of funded items, and to provide a letter of support from the authority that tasks them to rescues

Sir Alan Massey, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said:

These smaller, independent charities are the lifeblood of our communities, playing a vital role in supporting the daily lives of thousands of people across the UK.

We often need to remind ourselves that these brave women and men may be called at any time of the day or night to assist persons in difficulty. Those persons may be lost or injured, in trouble at sea, or needing to be rescued from fast-flowing water or floods.

It’s essential that funding like this is available to independent lifeboats so that they have the proper emergency equipment to aid in rescues. This funding will help meet their goals and ease their financial burden.

The Queen has approved the re-appointment of Beth McHattie as a Member of the Churches Conservation Trust for a period of three years from 7 November 2017.

Beth McHattie is currently the Communication Consultant at Allchurches Trust and was a formal Deputy Director of Communications and Head of Media at English Heritage, and before that was Head of Corporate Press at Sotheby’s.

At around 04:25 hrs on 17 October 2017, a maintenance train ran away for a distance of about 4 miles, from a location north of Markinch station in Fife. The train had struck a tree that had fallen across the track. The resulting damage to the underside of the train had caused the brakes to be irreversibly released.

Prior to the collision, the train had been water jetting leaf debris from the rails. The driver saw the tree shortly before impact and applied the emergency brake. The train was travelling at around 40 mph (64km/h) when it hit the tree.

The train continued to slow following the collision, due to the uphill gradient. It came to a rest, but then started to roll backwards. Having made an emergency call on the train radio, the two train crew jumped from the train onto the trackside and suffered minor injuries.

The train eventually came to a stop on a low point near to Thornton North Junction, after having oscillated up and down the adjacent track gradients several times.

Our investigation will determine the sequence of events that led to the runaway. It will also consider:

• the design of the train’s braking system
• the actions of the train crew
• the proximity of other trains on the affected route

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

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Ministerial statement regarding a further extension to the decision deadline for the proposed Silvertown Tunnel.