Recommendation CR14: MoU between Coastguard and Border Force
From The Cranston Inquiry Report, published 5 February 2026.
Recommendation
For so long as the current arrangements in relation to search and rescue in the English Channel remain in place, the roles and responsibilities of HM Coastguard and Border Force should be set out in a memorandum of understanding.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended a memorandum of understanding between HM Coastguard and Border Force. In October 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that the Department for Transport is working to put in place a memorandum of understanding setting out roles and responsibilities (Cabinet Office, Oct 2026). The department previously stated in July 2026 that it was working with Border Security Command within the Home Office on the agreement (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026). Both sources note that an update will be provided in the department's final response to the Inquiry (Department for Transport response, Jul 2026; Cabinet Office, Oct 2026).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 16 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
The Department is working with HMCG and Border Security Command (within the Home Office) to put in place a memorandum of understanding setting out roles and responsibilities. An update will be provided in the Department’s final response to the Inquiry.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: Cranston Inquiry Report: Interim Response (CP 1635), presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Transport in July 2026. The words are the Department for Transport's. The paper describes HM Coastguard, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch in the third person ("HMCG recognises ..."), so the site files each passage under the Department, not under the body the recommendation is addressed to.
Delivery
Cabinet Office says in progress (5 October 2026)
The Department for Transport published its interim response to the Cranston Inquiry in July 2026, which included updates against this recommendation. The Department is working to put in place a memorandum of understanding setting out roles and responsibilities. An update will be provided in the Department’s final response to the Inquiry.
From: Cranston Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, October 2026 (data file)
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Department for Transport
Response - Cabinet Office
Delivery statement