Sevarg, apologies for assuming dark-blueness on your part.
If the CAA is established by statute, is part of the machinery of Govt and presided over by the Cabinet Office, then the DfT is exactly the cage to rattle - but I agree the election will prevent any actual action.
I can only state things as a rumour that I have not personally witnessed, no matter how much I trust the source of such comments. And, as you say, it is a rumour network.
Whilst I have every faith in the crews and aircraft of the new SAR service, I have very little in the mechanisms and organisations set up to manage and monitor what actually goes on to provide them with the best help possible.