Embargoed until 00.01 Tuesday 2nd August Alexander announces extra funding for mountain rescue services

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 01 August 2011

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, today set out £200,000 additional funding for mountain rescue teams across the UK. This is the first time the UK Government has given direct funding to mountain rescue services and will contribute to the cost of procuring mountain rescue equipment this year.

This is the first of four years of funding set aside in the Spending Review, with at least £200,000 available in each year. Funding will be available to 75 teams performing mountain or cave rescue activity across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said:

"I am incredibly pleased to announce this additional funding. This recognises the valuable and unique work that volunteer mountain rescue teams do across the UK and will help support the costs of expensive rescue equipment."

The allocations for each area are calculated based on the number of teams affiliated to that body: £124,000 will be available for England and Wales; £68,000 for Scotland; and £8,000 for Northern Ireland.

Notes for Editors

1. The grant will cover the whole of the UK and will be distributed between the three mountain rescue associations (Mountain Rescue England and Wales, Mountain Rescue Council of Scotland and Northern Ireland Mountain, Cave and Cliff Rescue Coordinating Committee).

2. Teams affiliated with the above committees, who perform mountain or cave rescue activity, including single role cave rescue teams, will be eligible for funding. Of the 75 teams across the UK which are eligible: 48 are in England and Wales; 24 in Scotland; and 3 in Northern Ireland.

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