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Community Helipads: Rural Access
15 October 2025
Lead MP
Angus MacDonald
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
LD
Responding Minister
Lilian Greenwood
Tags
NHSTransport
Word Count: 3285
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Angus MacDonald raised concerns about community helipads: rural access in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP asks for clarification on regulations to ensure that search and rescue helicopters can use community helipads without fear of litigation or over-regulation. He requests a derogation from the Health and Safety Executive and the Civil Aviation Authority to allow Bristow helicopters to land at compliant but non-CAP1264 sites.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Community helipads are crucial for search and rescue operations but regulations have led to non-compliance issues. For example, the Portree and Braes Community Trust's helipad in Portree is not used by Bristow search and rescue helicopters due to legal liability concerns despite being fully compliant with safety standards.
West Dorset
Addressed the issue of hospital helipads not operating 24 hours a day, particularly at children’s specialist trauma hospitals, suggesting that this leads to inefficient patient transfers and proposing that the Minister press for full-time operation funding.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Supports the importance of community helipads for rural access and highlights safety issues with landing near accident sites. He agrees that there must be legal clarity to ensure safe landings.
Lilian Greenwood
Lab
Nottingham South
Agrees with Sarah Dyke about the importance of air ambulance services and expresses a commitment to work together to secure and protect these vital services for the future.
Sarah Dyke
LD
Glastonbury and Somerton
Emphasised the importance of helipads in rural areas for air ambulances to reach isolated regions quickly, highlighting the vital service provided by Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance with 3,000 missions annually. Celebrates and thanks ambulance crews for their work, mentions the 25th anniversary of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance with over 29,000 missions since its first mission in 2000.
Torcuil Crichton
Lab
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Confirms a similar issue in the Western Isles where Bristow helicopters cannot use hospital helipads due to non-compliance with new safety guidelines. He asks for a derogation from regulations to allow safe landings at designated sites.
Government Response
Lilian Greenwood
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
Government Response
Acknowledged the crucial role played by air ambulances and search-and-rescue helicopters in saving lives across the UK, emphasising their ability to respond day and night in challenging conditions. The Minister highlighted unique challenges faced by helicopter operators at non-regulated landing sites due to safety concerns and legal responsibilities, noting HM Coastguard's decision post-Derriford incident to use helipads with clear safety accountability. She affirmed ongoing work between the Department for Transport and NHS Scotland to ensure collaboration on site safety. Acknowledges the role of helicopter landing sites in rural areas, highlights the Department's collaborative approach with blue-light aviation sectors to explore solutions that balance safety and service provision. Offers assistance to Derek Mackay on securing a solution for Portree.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.