Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) InnovateUK and (b) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the appraisal of projects funded in each round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the Department for Transport, to support innovation in the maritime sector. The CMDC is delivered and managed by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department.

We are committed to a robust evaluation of the UK SHORE programme. The Department has commissioned Frontier Economics and SYSTRA Ltd to conduct a comprehensive independent evaluation of the UK SHORE programme, which is assessing the processes and impact of all UK SHORE schemes and will inform future policy development.

In March 2025, the Department for Transport published a report setting out the early outcomes of the evaluation of the UK SHORE programme to date, including completed projects in the CMDC, with the final report due in Autumn 2025.

Officials regularly discuss the appraisal of CMDC projects with Innovate UK, who play a key role in collecting project monitoring data to inform the evaluation programme.

We work jointly across Government to develop policies, regulation and mechanisms to support maritime environment and decarbonisation, including with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.

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 the development of seafarer (a) training, (b) skills and (c) employment policy as a result of projects funded through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has been in frequent discussion with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which oversees UK seafarer training, to ensure green skills are embedded in the new training scheme. This scheme, developed with industry input and coordinated by the MCA, will launch in September 2025. It includes training on future fuels and new technologies, complementing the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition's projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Furthermore, the MCA has a formal role in both the design and delivery of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition's programme and was closely involved in the design of the latest funding competition, which includes provision for bids covering training and skills.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on (a) vessel operation and (b) maritime skills recorded as part of Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition projects funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions in her Department.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the Department for Transport. The CMDC has supported a range of feasibility studies, pre-deployment trials and short demonstrations.

We are committed to a robust evaluation of the UK SHORE programme. The Department has commissioned Frontier Economics and SYSTRA Ltd to conduct a comprehensive independent evaluation of the UK SHORE programme, which is assessing the processes and impact of all UK SHORE schemes, including environmental impacts and job creation.

In March 2025, the Department for Transport published a report setting out the early outcomes of the evaluation of the UK SHORE programme to date, including completed projects in the CMDC. The majority of the CMDC demonstration projects only concluded at the end of March 2025. Therefore, data about their impact will be captured through the ongoing evaluation, due to conclude later this year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who the sub-contractors were who were involved in (a) the supply of crew to operate the Pacific Grebe during the sea trials phase and (b) other aspects of the Winds of Change project funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Winds of Change project was awarded funding through the third round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). The CMDC is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Research and Development programme in the Department for Transport and delivered and managed by Innovate UK, on behalf of the Department.

Applications for CMDC funding undergo an independent assessment process, managed by Innovate UK. Project partners of all successful bids are published online. Innovate UK and the Department for Transport are not responsible for the procurement of subcontractors, but the rules around the use of subcontractors are set out in the competition scope.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the terms of reference for the post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government will commence post legislative scrutiny from May 2025, and submit a memorandum to the Home Affairs Select Committee. The memorandum will include aspects such as explanatory notes, impact assessments and legal issues as necessary.

Once the Committee has received the Government’s memorandum on the Public Order Act 2024, the committee can decide to take further steps regarding further post legislative scrutiny if it so wishes.

Details about post-legislative scrutiny, including the contents to be covered in the Government’s memorandum, can be found here: Guide to making legislation - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether expedited post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will be independent of Government; and whether she plans to publish the outcomes of that scrutiny.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to enable post-legislative scrutiny by civil society of the Public Order Act 2023.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department's planned post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be carried out independently; and if she will make it her policy to publish the outcomes of that review.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's timetable is for the post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the operational status is of RFA Argus.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

RFA ARGUS is maintained at a state of readiness for tasks including serving as an Aviation Support Ship for the UK’s Littoral Response Group (LRG), and as a Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.

During periods when it is not needed for LRG or medical operations, ARGUS is utilised as an Aviation Training Ship, offering a platform for the training and qualification of UK MOD pilots.

I visited RFA ARGUS recently alongside in Falmouth and can report I met with very capable members of the RFA on board who stand ready to deliver defence tasks with professionalism and courage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (a) vessel, (b) crewing and (c) operational contributions will be to the UK Carrier Strike Group exercises in the Indo-Pacific region in 2025.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

RFA Tidespring will provide support to the UK Carrier Strike Group throughout the Operation HIGHMAST deployment in 2025, including during exercises in the Indo-Pacific region.

RFA Tidespring is fully crewed, and her principal role is to provide fuel to the UK Carrier Strike Group while underway, enabling the ships and embarked aircraft to remain at sea for longer periods. In addition, RFA Tidespring has a Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter and Uncrewed Air Systems embarked.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of procuring Multi-Role Strike Ships rather than Multi-Role Support Ships on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Multi-Role Strike Ship programme is in its Concept Phase during which the requirements, including appropriate crewing models are determined.

The name change from Multi-Role Support Ship to Multi-Role Strike Ship better reflects the platform’s function and does not indicate any change of requirement.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to take steps to pause any ongoing or proposed sell-offs relating to postal services pending the outcome of the forthcoming government consultation on the future of postal services.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Post Office recently announced that it will be moving to a fully-franchised network. Transitioning to a franchise model will help in tackling the losses that directly managed branches incur on a sustainable basis, as this is expected to result in over £100 million of savings for the company over the next five years.  This aligns with Post Office’s commitment to deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, as the savings created by these changes will put Post Office in a better position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK.  This decision regarding the network, and decisions around the circumstances of each directly managed branch are operational matters for Post Office.

The Government’s Green Paper, due to be published later this year, will ask the public what they want to see from a modern Post Office network. The Green Paper is about a long-term vision for the Post Office, not about operational decisions related to individual branches.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what legal powers her Department holds to intervene in matters relating to the sale or transfer of assets within the postal service sector.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Post Office recently announced that it will be moving to a fully-franchised network. Transitioning to a franchise model will help in tackling the losses that directly managed branches incur on a sustainable basis, as this is expected to result in over £100 million of savings for the company over the next five years.  This aligns with Post Office’s commitment to deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, as the savings created by these changes will put Post Office in a better position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK.  This decision regarding the network, and decisions around the circumstances of each directly managed branch are operational matters for Post Office.

The Government’s Green Paper, due to be published later this year, will ask the public what they want to see from a modern Post Office network. The Green Paper is about a long-term vision for the Post Office, not about operational decisions related to individual branches.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when her Department plans to launch the public consultation on the future of postal services.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Post Office recently announced that it will be moving to a fully-franchised network. Transitioning to a franchise model will help in tackling the losses that directly managed branches incur on a sustainable basis, as this is expected to result in over £100 million of savings for the company over the next five years.  This aligns with Post Office’s commitment to deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, as the savings created by these changes will put Post Office in a better position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK.  This decision regarding the network, and decisions around the circumstances of each directly managed branch are operational matters for Post Office.

The Government’s Green Paper, due to be published later this year, will ask the public what they want to see from a modern Post Office network. The Green Paper is about a long-term vision for the Post Office, not about operational decisions related to individual branches.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent sell-offs relating to postal services.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Post Office recently announced that it will be moving to a fully-franchised network. Transitioning to a franchise model will help in tackling the losses that directly managed branches incur on a sustainable basis, as this is expected to result in over £100 million of savings for the company over the next five years.  This aligns with Post Office’s commitment to deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, as the savings created by these changes will put Post Office in a better position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK.  This decision regarding the network, and decisions around the circumstances of each directly managed branch are operational matters for Post Office.

The Government’s Green Paper, due to be published later this year, will ask the public what they want to see from a modern Post Office network. The Green Paper is about a long-term vision for the Post Office, not about operational decisions related to individual branches.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44602 on Seafarer training and skills, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new training scheme on the (a) qualifications and (b) work of seafarer (i) Ratings and (ii) apprentices.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport is actively undertaking multiple projects in collaboration with industry stakeholders to update and modernise seafarer training. Two key examples of these initiatives are:

1. Cadet Training and Modernisation Programme: This programme has introduced a new syllabus and assessment regime for cadets and officers, set to commence in September 2025. The updated syllabus includes modern practices, technology, cyber security, and 'human element' skills to enhance seafarer wellbeing and operational safety.
2. Ratings Review: This review is advancing recommendations to modernise and enhance rating training. The focus is on updating the training content to reflect current industry practices and technologies, ensuring that ratings are equipped with the necessary skills to perform their roles effectively.

While apprenticeships are industry-led, the department actively plays a role in their development to ensure that the qualifications achieved enable seafarers to obtain internationally recognised maritime qualifications.

The collaborative approach of the Department with employers, seafarer representatives, and maritime training institutions aims to reflect current industry practices and technologies, ensuring that ratings are equipped with the necessary skills to perform their roles effectively. This strategy aims to enhance the employability of UK seafarers in a globally competitive market.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will he ask the (a) UN Secretary General and (b) Special Representative for Western Sahara and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara to provide the number of Moroccan soldiers based (i) along the Berm and (ii) elsewhere in Western Sahara.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UN publishes annual reports of the Secretary General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, which include details of the situation on the ground. Members of the UN Security Council also receive additional briefing and discuss developments during bi-annual closed consultations, most recently on 14 April. The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The UK strongly supports the work of Staffan de Mistura and continues to encourage constructive engagement with the UN political process.

Better Jobs, Better Services campaign

Gary Lineker's contribution to Match of the Day

Arms exports to Israel

Foster Care Fortnight

Reductions to CrossCountry trains catering services

Import of goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Negotiating rights for police officers

Injury on Duty Award Scheme

Support for the trans community

Future of the UK baking industry

Trans+ History Week

Transparency of data-based and data-driven policing systems

Coalfields Regeneration Trust funding

Ensuring stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

Overseas aid budget

Climate and Nature Bill

47th anniversary of the murder of Altab Ali

Launch of The Rational Policy-Maker’s Guide to Rebuilding the NHS report

Black Maternal Health Awareness Week 2025

Immigration application fees for young adults and children

Travel-related restrictions and haemoglobin tests for blood donations

Death of Pope Francis

Libraries in state primary schools

Second state visit by Donald Trump

Scientific hearing on animal experiments

Israeli Defence Force attacks on humanitarian workers

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