MP Tim Farron, left, and MEP Chris Davies visit the Kendal MRT headquarters

The Westminster Government has pledged £¼m for the UK’s volunteer mountain rescue teams in the next fiscal year, Parliament was told.

Transport minister Stephen Hammond told the Commons yesterday that funding would continue after the planned end of the annual grants this year.

In reply to Conservative MP David Rutley, vice-chair of the all party parliamentary group for mountain rescue, Mr Hammond said: “We have listened carefully to the concerns raised and will therefore provide in 2015-16 grants totalling £250,000 to mountain rescue organisations in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for use towards the cost of their equipment and training.

“That is in addition to the grants totalling £600,000 that we have made available over the past three years and the £200,000 to be payable this year for 2014-15.”

Macclesfield MP Mr Rutley said: “Representing a constituency which includes Cheshire’s Peak District, I am very aware of the important work of our mountain rescue teams.

“I have worked closely with both the Buxton and Mountain Rescue Teams [sic] and I am delighted that they and all the teams across the United Kingdom will benefit from this welcome announcement.”

The cash was first announced in 2011 and followed a protracted campaign, begun under the previous government, for relief of the VAT paid by the volunteer teams, which are almost entirely dependent on donations from members of the public.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat president and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “This is brilliant news and I want to pay tribute to my fellow MPs for working together to deliver this.

“Our mountain rescue teams do amazing work for people in desperate need. I cannot praise them highly enough. Their determination and bravery always leaves me humble. They are real heroes.

“I am also working with Chris Davies MEP to cut VAT from everything our mountain rescue team has to pay for. They are the fourth emergency service and need to be treated in the same way as we treat the others.”

Julian Smith, Tory MP for Skipton and Ripon, told the House yesterday: “It will be not just mountain rescue but cave rescue organisations in Grassington and Clapham in my constituency that benefit.

“The Transport Secretary has been on his bike in Skipton and Ripon. Will he now commit to coming down a cave with me in the near future?”

Mr Hammond did not commit his department boss to a trip underground, saying merely he would try to find someone to accompany Mr Smith.

Financial director of Mountain Rescue England and Wales Penny Brockman said: “Mountain Rescue England and Wales has benefitted from government grant aid for several years and this has enabled the organisation to provide winter and summer clothing for team members, as well as supporting ongoing training courses in various disciplines.

“The organisation welcomes the announcement of increased financial assistance, without which they would find it difficult to support the provision of future equipment and training based projects.”

Chancellor George Osborne announced in this week’s Budget that air ambulance charities, many of which are involved in rescuing injured walkers, climbers and mountain bikers, would be given tax relief on their aviation fuel.

The Scottish Government provides more than £300,000 annually to the teams north of the border.