Reports & recommendations
18 recommendations, each with the government response on the record. Filter by government response or delivery status.
Reports (1)
| Title | Volume | Publication Date | Recommendations | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cranston Inquiry Report | - | 05 Feb 2026 | 18 |
Recommendations (3)
Coastguard role in legislation
The role and functions of HM Coastguard should be set out in up-to-date legislation.
The Inquiry recommended setting HM Coastguard's role and functions in up-to-date legislation. In October 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that the Department for Transport is conducting a review of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to consider its functions, form, governance and performance (Cabinet Office, Oct 2026). In its October 2026 update, it noted that the review will report to Ministers this year and inform the government's response to the inquiry's outstanding recommendations, as the department had stated in July 2026 (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026; Cabinet Office, Oct 2026).
Independent external oversight body
An independent external body should be given responsibility for the regular assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of HM Coastguard. Consideration should be given to extending the remit of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services as the responsible body to undertake the task.
The Inquiry recommended independent external assessment of His Majesty's Coastguard's efficiency and effectiveness. In October 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that this recommendation is one of three remaining recommendations awaiting the outcome of a Department for Transport review of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) (Cabinet Office, Oct 2026). The department stated in July 2026 that the review will consider the agency's functions, form, governance and performance, report to Ministers in 2026, and inform the government response (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026).
Reconsider Border Force SAR function
The government should reconsider Mr Downer's recommendation in his independent review of Border Force that Border Force Maritime should not be providing an ongoing search and rescue function in the English Channel, with the result that HM Coastguard would assume responsibility for the surface assets used for search and rescue.
The Inquiry recommended reconsidering search and rescue operations in the English Channel. In October 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that the Department for Transport is conducting a review of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) covering its functions, form, governance, and performance (Cabinet Office, Oct 2026). Border Force and the transfer of surface assets are not mentioned in the sources (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026; Cabinet Office, Oct 2026). The review will report to Ministers in 2026 to inform the government's response to the outstanding recommendations, as the department first set out in July 2026 (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026; Cabinet Office, Oct 2026).