UK coastguard agency chief faces calls to resign over use of unverified data to back up pay plan
Summary
The head of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Virginia McVea, is facing pressure to resign after it was found she used incorrect survey data to claim that most coastguard rescue officers supported a plan to remove their pay. The plan was dropped after criticism, and an official investigation said the data did not back up her statements.Key Facts
- Virginia McVea is the chief executive of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
- She claimed over 90% of coastguard rescue officers supported a proposal to remove their pay, based on an official survey.
- An investigation by the Office for Statistics Regulation found the survey did not directly ask officers about support for the plan.
- The MCA admitted it had no evidence to confirm the 90% support claim.
- The plan aimed to reclassify the officers as volunteers to avoid paying them, following a court ruling that said they are workers entitled to wages and holiday pay.
- Nearly 600 coastguard rescue officers expressed no confidence in McVea over this issue.
- The maritime minister, Keir Mather, cancelled the pay removal plan after widespread criticism.
- Coastguard rescue officers are awaiting a new system, but removing pay is no longer being considered.
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