MP: 'Hand over coastguards'

Holyrood should be handed control of Scotland's coastguard, an MP said yesterday as he sought to avoid the closures of three stations in the country.

Under government proposals, the number of coastguard stations in Scotland would drop from five to two, with only one 24-hour centre remaining in Aberdeen and another daytime-only centre in Stornoway or Shetland.

Last night, the SNP's Angus MacNeil said: "The seas and coastlines are getting more congested, ships are getting larger and the weather, according to them, is getting worse. With this in mind, it would surely make more sense to implement some division of labour and allow the MCA in England to focus on Southampton and London and leave the Scottish waters to Scotland."