P&O Ferries Debate

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Department: Department for Transport
Wednesday 30th March 2022

(2 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Baroness Laing of Elderslie Portrait Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)
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I call Ben Bradley—I mean Ben Bradshaw. I am so sorry.

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
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Don’t worry, Madam Deputy Speaker, it is a common and embarrassing mistake—for the other one!

Will the Secretary of State explain in a bit more detail why he thinks he does not have the powers to seek an injunction to prevent this company from behaving deliberately, disgracefully and, as he just described, illegally?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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I have taken a lot of legal advice in the last 10 days to two weeks, and we simply have not found the power to exist in the form that the right hon. Gentleman describes. Maritime law is complex and international in nature. We have looked through every possible solution, and the Harbours Act 1964 is the way to deliver this. In the meantime, we will have the Maritime and Coastguard Agency making sure that we can bring these benefits much sooner than through laws passed through this place.