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Written Question
P&O Ferries: Redundancy
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason his Department did not impose sanctions on P&O Ferries, DP World or flag states for the dismissal of 786 directly employed UK seafarers on 17 March 2022.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Following the 17 March 2022 dismissals by P&O Ferries the Department for Transport conducted a thorough review of ongoing government contracts with P&O Ferries, and one ongoing contract between the Home Office and P&O Ferries was terminated at our request.

The Government also asked the Insolvency Service to review the company’s actions. On 1 April 2022, the Insolvency Service confirmed that following its enquiries it had commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the redundancies, which might ultimately result in criminal or civil sanction.

While a criminal prosecution could not be brought, the civil investigation is ongoing. As such it would not be appropriate for the Government to provide any further comment at this time.


Written Question
P&O Ferries: Conditions of Employment and Redundancy
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department last met with representatives of the RMT Union and Nautalis to discuss the dismissal of the 786 directly employed UK seafarers by P&O Ferries and on the working conditions and pay of seafarers.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Officials in the Department meet with union representatives to discuss progress with the seafarer protections nine-point plan and the Seafarers' Wages Bill on a regular basis. Officials last met with the Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) to discuss seafarers’ welfare on 3 March 2023 and had a separate meeting to specifically discuss progress on the Bill on the same day. Officials last met Nautilus on 6 March 2023 to discuss progress on the nine-point plan and on 25 January to discuss the Bill.


Written Question
P&O Ferries
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to implement its Nine Point Plan on P&O Ferries announced on 30 March 2022.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Since announcing the Nine Point Plan the Government has:

  • Brought in the Seafarers’ Wages Bill which will ensure that seafarers employed aboard ships regularly operating from UK ports will be paid at least an equivalent to the National Minimum Wage in UK waters
  • Worked with industry and unions to develop the Seafarers’ Charter, which will encourage and recognise ferry operators taking extra steps to provide good working conditions
  • Published a consultation on a statutory code of practice on ‘fire-and-rehire’ to deter the practice
  • Supported amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention to improve access to food and drinking water and appropriately-sized PPE, and led development of guidance to support seafarers who face abandonment
  • Commissioned research into seafarer fatigue to give us more robust evidence about the impact of roster patterns
  • Commissioned research into internet connectivity for seafarers, as know connectivity and staying in touch with friends and family is so important.

Seafarer welfare is inextricably linked to international maritime law and regulation. As such it must be addressed with international partners and through international fora. The UK will continue to lead the way in seafarer welfare and will not shy away from its role as an international leader in championing this important cause.


Written Question
Railways: Infrastructure
Friday 2nd December 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of the £3.6 million allocated to rail infrastructure has been spent; and when he plans to spend the remaining proportion of that funding.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Since 2017, the DfT and Innovate UK have run six First of a Kind (FOAK) competitions. So far, we have awarded over £38m to 125 projects led by a range of organisations to support innovations that help to address priorities for the railway identified by both government and industry. This includes projects funded under FOAK 2022, announced in November.

You have clarified that your question relates to the first FOAK competition, which launched in October 2017 and offered £3.5m to bids focusing specifically on implementing innovative technology on railway vehicles, rather than rail infrastructure. Through a scoring process by independent experts, 10 winning projects were selected, to a total value of £3.375m.


Written Question
Rail Delivery Group
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Rail Delivery Group on negotiations with the (a) RMT and (b) other Transport Trade Unions; and what negotiating powers he has given that group.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Transport Secretary wants to see an end to the rail industrial disputes, which are affecting passengers, the industry and the rail workers themselves.

The Secretary of State and I Rail regularly meet with both Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail representatives and are also having introductory meetings with rail union leaders.

We are very clear that it is for employers and Trade Unions to negotiate the details of essential workforce reforms that would enable an affordable pay deal. Ministers role is to facilitate and support the ongoing discussions between the rail industry and Trade Unions regarding workforce reform and pay.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 24 Nov 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

Speech Link

View all Sam Tarry (Lab - Ilford South) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Written Question
Railways: Temperature
Thursday 15th September 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to future proof rail lines and infrastructure against extreme heat.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Network Rail has well-established operational measures to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events, such as line speed restrictions or diversions.

Looking ahead, Network Rail is drafting long-term plans, and has in place a weather resilience and climate change strategy to ensure rail infrastructure can cope with climate change and short-term periods of extreme weather.


Written Question
Railways: Temperature
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of rail infrastructure to handle extreme heats.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Network Rail and the wider industry are responsible for managing the effects of any weather-related incidents on the railway, and they have well-established operational measures they implement to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events.

The Department continues to support the rail industry as they develop longer-term plans to improve the resilience of rail infrastructure during periods of extreme weather.


Written Question
Railways: Weather
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail operators regarding extreme weather events and their impact on the rail infrastructure.

Answered by Kevin Foster

Network Rail and the wider industry are responsible for managing the effects of any weather-related incidents on the railway, and they have well-established operational measures they implement to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events.

When extreme weather is forecast, the Department maintains particularly close contact with Network Rail to support industry in their preparation as they implement appropriate mitigations.

Looking ahead, Network Rail is drafting long-term plans, and has in place a weather resilience and climate change strategy to ensure the infrastructure can cope with climate change and short-term periods of extreme weather. The Department continues to support the rail industry in this regard.


Written Question
Railways: Climate Change
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake a review of standards and engineering of rail infrastructure, in the context of more severe summers and less severe winters brought about by climate change.

Answered by Kevin Foster

The Department expects Network Rail to manage the resilience of the rail network to severe weather, taking account of the impacts of climate change, and exploring new technology that could help improve resilience.

Looking ahead, Network Rail is drafting long-term plans, and has in place a weather resilience and climate change strategy to ensure the infrastructure can cope with climate change and short-term periods of extreme weather. The Department continues to support the rail industry in this regard.