The continuing controversy over the planned axing of New Quay’s all-weather lifeboat was raised in the House of Lords by a former Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed last week.

Lord Morris of Aberavon, a farmer’s son from Capel Bangor who said his wife, Margaret, came from a long line of New Quay sailors, asked Baroness Sugg, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, whether the replacement of New Quay’s Shannon class all-weather lifeboat with a B-class, smaller inshore Atlantic 85, would diminish capability.

Pointing out that, under the plans, the nearest all-weather lifeboats would be as far away as Pwllheli and Barmouth, he asked: “Will there be a gap in safety provision in Cardigan Bay in severe weather?”

Lord Harries of Pentregarth who as someone with "long-standing" family connections in the area and supported the campaign to retain the all-weather lifeboat, also expressed concern.

“The RNLI, of course, does wonderful work,” he added, ”but I am afraid that in this instance it has been totally lacking in transparency with the people of New Quay about the reasons for its decision.

“Should not an organisation such as the RNLI that depends on trust be more open about its decisions and in this instance look again at the increased risk of this decision?”

Baroness Sugg 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.

“This was based on a risk-based review that looked at the entire area and the RNLI’s decision to replace the all-weather lifeboat was underpinned by extensive research,” she added. “It is convinced that this is the optimal amount of resource for the area.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday