Tuesday 29 October 2013
Media enquiry from Amber Stark, Island FM:
I am enquiring about the contract with the Met Office as I have heard that there are plans for the Environment Department to pull out of it.
Would anyone be available for a comment on this?
Environment Department's response:
No one is immediately available for interview.
We would, however, confirm that the Department has written to all other States departments with a probable interest in the community met forecasts asking them to set out the importance of the forecasts to their operations. This information once received will inform the Department's next steps. We would stress this is in respect of community met forecasts not aviation forecasts. Aviation forecasts are part of the airports operations. Community met forecasts do however include shipping forecasts.
The Department has initiated this review as the service costs the Department in excess of £300k per annum. The costs of the service are increasing whilst the Department's overall budget is reducing and hence, as for all the services the Department provides, the necessity for and nature of the service must be examined.
ENDS
