Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Extra protections for seafarers as government introduces new maritime laws, published on 30 March 2022, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of those new laws on the crewing model operated in the short sea ferry sector by (a) P&O Ferries and (b) other operators.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 received Royal Assent in March 2023. The Act makes access to UK ports for services calling at a UK port at least 120 times a year conditional on payment of the equivalent of the UK National Minimum Wage.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the conditions of employment for agency crew working on P&O Ferries’ international fleet from UK ports.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We expect all operators to, at a minimum, comply with the relevant international standards for seafarer working conditions, and we inspect compliance with these during periodic vessel inspections. We continue to work internationally to improve working conditions for seafarers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) P&O Ferries and (b) other members of the UK Chamber of Shipping on the Seafarers’ Charter.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Secretary of State has not had recent discussions with P&O Ferries or other members of the UK Chamber of Shipping on the Seafarers’ Charter. However, officials regularly engage with operators who have committed to the Seafarers’ Charter, as well as other members of the UK Chamber of Shipping. Officials only engage with P&O Ferries regarding operational matters, such as safety and security.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what resources the Insolvency Service has committed to its civil investigation of P&O Ferries; and what steps her Department is taking to monitor the investigation.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Insolvency Service’s civil investigation into the circumstances surrounding the redundancies made by P&O Ferries remains ongoing. As such, it would not be appropriate to comment on the detail of the investigation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 14 of the Government response to the Consultation on the Statutory Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement, published on 19th February 2024, whether seafarers will be eligible for the protective award for non-compliance with collective consultation requirements.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The rights of seafarers under employment law depend in part on whether they fall within the jurisdiction of the UK (or Great Britain). Ultimately this will be determined by the courts and tribunals.

Whether seafarers have the right to collective consultation about proposed redundancies under section 188 and the following sections of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 ("the 1992 Act") is likely to depend on whether the establishment where they work has sufficient connection with Great Britain. This position is not affected by government plans to add the protective award to Schedule A2 of the 1992 Act.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has received representations on the Insolvency Service’s procedure for investigating (a) criminal and (b) civil offences by UK registered companies owned by overseas entities.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department is making enquires to determine whether such representations in respect of the Insolvency Service's procedures have been received. Any representations will be responded to as is appropriate.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential merits of establishing minimum wage corridors for seafarers working on ships between the UK and France.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The department works closely with the Department for Transport at official level on topics surrounding seafarers’ wages. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many shipping companies have signed the Seafarers Charter.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Seafarers’ Charter was introduced to improve working conditions for seafarers aboard ferries operating internationally from UK ports. Four major international ferry operators have signed up to working towards the requirements of the Seafarers’ Charter: Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, DFDS and Stena Line.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the number of seafarers employed on P&O Ferries’ vessels working from UK ports.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport published estimates of the number of seafarers in the UK shipping industry online, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seafarers-in-the-uk-shipping-industry-2023.

One of the sources for this report is a seafarer employment survey run by the UK Chamber of Shipping of their membership, which P&O Ferries are part of. Due to commercial sensitivity, we cannot provide specific company breakdowns from this data. We are also unable to estimate the number of seafarers employed on P&O Ferries’ working from UK ports.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to prepare for the enforcement of the Seafarers Wages Act 2023.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 received Royal Assent in March 2023. There are offences under the Act for operators providing a false and misleading declaration, operating a service inconsistently with a declaration, harbour authorities not complying with their duties under the Act, and for harbour authorities and operators who do not provide information when requested under the Act. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will be responsible for enforcement of these offences and has powers of inspection under the Act to allow them to investigate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many seafarer apprentices have been trained by private shipping companies operating in the UK since 17 March 2022.

Answered by Robert Halfon

There were 50 apprenticeship starts in England on the Seafarer (Deck Rating) apprenticeship standard in the 2021/22 academic year, 40 starts in 2022/23 and 20 starts reported so far, August to October, for 2023/24. The department cannot identify whether the apprenticeship employer is a private shipping company.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Insolvency Service has concluded the investigation into P&O Ferries' dismissal of 786 seafarers on 17 March 2022.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Insolvency Service’s civil investigation into the circumstances surrounding the redundancies made by P&O Ferries remains ongoing. No further comment or information can be provided at this time.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department has received from DP World on maritime and ports policy since 17 March 2022.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has received contact from DP World on the following maritime and port related issues:

From February 2023, DP World met Department officials on the progress of design and implementation of their Modal Shift incentivisation scheme at DP World’s Port of Southampton facility, which Rail officials acknowledged.

In November 2023, DP World wrote to seek an opportunity to discuss DP World’s continued investment in the UK, and reset the relationship with the Government after a period of non engagement with the Department following the P&O Ferries sackings.

More recently, last week the Department was notified of P&O Ferries’ intent to sign the Seafarers’ Charter.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last held discussions with DP World on the operation of cross channel ferry services.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The current Secretary of State and Department for Transport Ministers have held no discussions with DP World on the operation of cross-channel ferry services. Last week, DP World and P&O Ferries notified the Department it is committed to signing the Seafarers’ Charter.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new vessels were registered with the UK Ship Register since 30 March 2022.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Based on the UK Ship Register data, from March 2022 to December 2023 (the most recent month for which data is finalised), 96 merchant and pleasure vessels, joined the UK ship Register.

Found: Stephens MP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow South West ) Edward Timpson MP (Conservative, Eddisbury) Karl