Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many allegations of offences under section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 were received by the Information Commissioner's Office in each of the last five years; and how many such allegations resulted in (a) an interview under caution and (b) a prosecution in each year.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
While DCMS acts as the sponsor department within government, the Information Commission is independent of government and accountable to Parliament. Government policy for Freedom of Information sits with the Cabinet Office.
The Information Commission’s Criminal Investigations team receives referrals for potential Section 77 offences. In 2022, they received 48, in 2023 they received 17, in 2024 they received 15, in 2025 they received 14 and in 2026 they have received seven so far. These have led to one interview under caution in 2023. There is a high evidential threshold for pursuing criminal investigations under section 77, and a six-month time limit for commencing a prosecution. The Information Commission provides information and guidance on the Freedom of Information Act, and anyone concerned that an offence may have been committed can raise those concerns with the Commission.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, If she will provide an estimate of the number of merchant seafarers working on short sea international ferry services in scope of Section 5 of the Seafarers Wages Act 2023 (as amended).
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Whilst the Department cannot give exact figures, an impact assessment was published for the Act, which makes some assumptions about the number of seafarers on board different vessel types per journey in order to estimate costs to businesses, but it does not make any estimates of the total number of seafarers in scope of the Seafarers Wages Act 2023. The Impact Assessment can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62e2aa8ed3bf7f75af0923d5/seafarers-wages-impact-assessment.pdf.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has she made on the implementation of Make Work Pay policies for merchant seafarers regularly working from UK ports; and when he last had discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and (b) Energy Security and Net Zero on these policies.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport concluded its consultation on regulations to strengthen seafarer protections on UK-France and UK-Channel Island services, using new powers introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025, on 17 July 2026. We will be responding to the consultation in the coming weeks.
We have already made changes to collective redundancy rules, ensuring that employers of seafarers working on vessels calling at a UK port at least 120 times a year must notify the UK government of collective redundancies, even if the vessel is registered outside the UK.
Department for Transport officials are in regular contact with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade about the application of employment rights, including those included in the Make Work Pay programme, to seafarers, and with the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero on the application of employment rights to seafarers working in the offshore energy sector.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many investigations of passenger complaints against (a) ferry and (b) cruise operators regarding accessibility of services from ports in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland the Maritime and Coastguard Agency undertook in each year since 2021-22.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The MCA has reviewed readily accessible records covering 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27. Records earlier than 2024-25 were not able to be produced /obtained within the time frame.
These records identify that one investigation has been undertaken by the MCA of passenger complaints against (a) ferry and (b) cruise operators regarding accessibility of services from ports in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on (a) enforcement and (b) compliance of the Seafarers Wages Act 2023 (as amended).
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport maintains frequent and regular engagement with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on both enforcement of, and compliance with, the Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023.
The MCA is responsible for enforcement of the Act and takes a proportionate approach, working with harbour authorities and operators to support compliance while using its statutory enforcement powers where necessary.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2026 to Question 34741, whether any surcharges have been imposed by harbour authorities on any operators of international ferry services under the (a) Seafarers’ Wages (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and (b) Seafarers’ Wages (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Seafarers' Wages (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and 2026 do not make specific provision for surcharges, as these Regulations are for the purpose of uprating the National Minimum Wage equivalent rate in line with the National Minimum Wage. Provision for surcharges is made under the Seafarers' Wages Act 2023 and the Seafarers' Wages Regulations 2024. As per my answers of 19 October to Question 34741 and 12 October to Question 29386, no surcharges have been imposed on operators under this legislation since it came into force on 1 December 2024.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with Ministerial Colleagues regarding the future funding arrangements for BBC World Service.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department is working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), as sponsor department for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), on the BBC Charter Review, which includes consideration of future funding for the BBC World Service. As the Minister responsible for the BBC World Service, I have met and remain in contact with the Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety in DCMS on the Charter Review process, in so far as it relates to the BBC World Service.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding for health services in criminal justice settings is ring-fenced; and whether she expects this to change as a result of any proposed NHS reorganisation.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding for health services in criminal justice settings is not ring-fenced and there are no current plans to amend this.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 on the healthcare treatment of offenders who commit minor crimes.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Sentencing Act 2026 will reduce the use of short custodial sentences and expand the use of community-based disposals where appropriate. This creates opportunities to strengthen routes into treatment pathways, including diverting people with mental health, drug and alcohol needs away from the criminal justice system where appropriate.
The Ministry of Justice is working closely with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), who are responsible for healthcare services in the community, to maximise the impact of the available treatment offer, targeting support where it can have the greatest impact.
Liaison and Diversion services play a vital role ensuring that when people first encounter the justice system, they can be referred into appropriate health or social care pathways to ensure they receive the right support from the first point of contact. In parallel, we are working closely with health partners to increase the use and effectiveness of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements, tackling the root causes of offending behaviour through structured treatment.
We are also launching an additional seven Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which provide an alternative to short custodial sentences by keeping eligible offenders in the community with wraparound support, including drug and alcohol treatment, mental health support and judicial oversight.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education on including Category D driving licence training for coaches within the Skills Bootcamps programme; and what assessment she made of the potential merits of doing so for addressing shortages in the coach industry.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that the bus and coach sector has had issues recruiting and retaining drivers in recent years, though intelligence from the sector suggests the shortage of bus drivers has reduced.
The Government is giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with its commitment to devolution, supporting local areas to choose which Skills Bootcamps they offer based on the needs of their local employers and economy.
As of the 2026-27 financial year, Mayoral Strategic Authorities can use 100% of their grant, and non-MSAs have the flexibility to use up to 50% of their grant, to deliver Skills Bootcamps in additional sectors.
Decisions on the provision of Skills Bootcamps for Category D coach driver training are therefore a matter for local authorities.