Campaigners fighting to retain New Quay’s all-weather lifeboat have slammed a minister’s responses in the House of Lords.

Questioned by Lord Morris of Aberavon as to whether the replacement of New Quay’s Shannon class all-weather lifeboat with a B-class, smaller inshore Atlantic 85, would diminish capability, Baroness Sugg said the decision arose from a risk-based review.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport confirmed that three 17-knot Mersey class all-weather lifeboats were being replaced with two Shannon lifeboats at Pwllheli and Barmouth and there would be a ‘smaller but faster’ lifeboat at New Quay.

However, her remarks have drawn a stinging response from members of the Ceredigion Lifeboat Campaign, who maintain she failed to answer ‘legitimate’ questions raised by five peers.

“The Baroness simply reiterated the RNLI’s position, without addressing any of the legitimate concerns raised regarding sea safety and risk, the RNLI’s failure to consult, and the RNLI’s refusal to release any evidence that backs their position,” they said in a statement to the Cambrian News.

“The Baroness repeated the misleading RNLI statement that we have heard many times before about a new, faster lifeboat, without mentioning that it will be unable to launch in bad weather. To then suggest that lifesaving provision will be improved as a result is ridiculous.

“Baroness Sugg has suggested that an extensive consultation took place. However, the response to our Freedom of Information request shows that the Baroness’s own department was not consulted. We also have statements from numerous stakeholders confirming that no consultation took place.

“The Department for Transport has confirmed that it had no involvement in the decision, nor any prior knowledge of the RNLI’s proposed changes to lifeboat configuration in Cardigan Bay, yet the Baroness has conveyed the RNLI’s misleading statements as if it were the government’s assured position."

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