P&O Ferries

Natalie Elphicke Excerpts

Wednesday 30th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

Briefly, I thank the hon. Gentleman. I mentioned that I will be working with the International Labour Organisation, but I will also be working with the International Maritime Organisation, which is headquartered globally in London, on making this a global move. Some of what he said will not apply, because once we have changed the Harbours Act 1964, it will outlaw the need to end up going to a tribunal on the 25% uplift and the rest of it. I will leave it there for brevity.

[Mrs Natalie Elphicke (Dover) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the strong package of measures announced today. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the behaviour of the directors of P&O is disgraceful, and they must be held to account? The Dover-Calais route must be operated to the highest safety standards, with decent pay and conditions and on a level playing field. Will he continue to work with me, as he has done since this disgraceful act occurred, to do everything possible to support the Dover-Calais sea corridor and the Dover community?

[Grant Shapps]

I thank my hon. Friend for her incredible input into this. In Dover, she is right at the frontline of any impacts when ferries are not running. Her contribution, assistance and guidance have been absolutely invaluable. I will absolutely step up to her asks on this. I stress, probably on behalf of the whole House, that in this House we find it unacceptable that someone would deliberately, knowingly and wantonly go out of their way to break the law in sacking staff. We will not take that lying down. The law will be changed and I am afraid that P&O Ferries, although as of last night it did not realise it, will have to U-turn.