Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking with the maritime sector to support the scale-up of green (a) fuels, (b) vessels and (c) shore power.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In March 2025, we published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy (MDS), which sets out our pathway to net zero emissions in domestic maritime by 2050. This strategy includes key policies designed to encourage the uptake of green fuels, vessels, and shore power, directly supporting the UK's ambitious climate goals.
The MDS outlines five core policies: implementing fuel regulations internationally and domestically, introducing domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing through the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, taking action on emissions at berth, reducing emissions from smaller vessels, and improving energy efficiency. Alongside the MDS, we also launched two vital calls for evidence to inform policy development: one focusing on small vessels and another on net zero ports.
My department is also driving research and development of the fuels and technologies necessary to decarbonise the sector through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE). To date, UK SHORE has allocated over £200m of funding to over 150 projects, leveraging over £100 million in private investment. This benefits all 12 UK regions, supporting over 350 organisations, including more than 200 SMEs. A further £30m was allocated to the sixth round of Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition announced in January for FY 24/25. The winners of the competition will be announced soon.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve skills in the maritime sector.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department remains committed to supporting the development of the UK’s future maritime workforce. Maritime training transforms opportunities, contributing to UK economic growth, boosting individual earnings, employment prospects, and social mobility.
Seafarer training is being future-proofed through the DfT and MCA managed Cadet Training and Modernisation programme and Ratings Review. The Department’s £18m Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) fund supports 50% of the cost of cadet training and a range of apprenticeships are available for ratings and wider maritime roles at sea and ashore.
The Maritime Skills Commission, which reports to the Department and Maritime UK, assesses the current and future skills needs of the sector and is currently focusing on areas such as skills for emerging technologies.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to improve maritime safety standards.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are constantly striving to improve maritime safety whether this is through the UK’s leadership in international fora, such as the International Maritime Organization, or domestically. With some of the busiest waters in the world, and enhanced by the tireless work of its family organisations, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and our General Lighthouse Authorities, the UK continues to deliver world-class maritime safety.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to modernise port infrastructure.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK’s ports sector is largely privately owned and operated, with the government’s role primarily to ensure that the policy and regulatory environment supports efficient operation and investment, and to provide targeted support for connectivity and decarbonisation where there are clear public benefits. My Department is working at pace to update and streamline planning and regulatory processes for ports, including by updating the National Policy Statement for Ports. In addition, the Government is working with the National Wealth Fund, which has committed at least £5.8 billion of its capital to five sectors, including ports.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Motor Insurance Taskforce (a) last met and (b) is next scheduled to meet.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and the Secretary of State is keen to reconvene again soon. We will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of seafarers' welfare, in the context of roster patterns.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, which is why as part of the Employment Rights Bill we are introducing powers for Ministers to create a legally-binding Seafarers’ Charter. This will protect and improve seafarer working conditions, including by addressing seafarer fatigue.
We will continue to work with like-minded states and through international forums to raise international standards for seafarer welfare.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help the (a) ports and (b) shipping industries (a) cut emissions and (b) transition to clean fuels.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have recently published our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy that sets out our plans to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector. This Strategy includes a package of policy and regulatory measures across both the port and shipping industries. Reducing emissions builds on the increased efficiency of operators, combined with a transition to cleaner zero, and near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and energy sources, and this Strategy considers the role of these fuels, and how we will support their uptake.
All policies laid out in the Strategy will be developed further and will be subject to formal consultation before implementation.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on developing a port strategy.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy sets out Government’s plans for decarbonising the domestic maritime sector, including goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and policies to support this. The Maritime Strategy will be published later this year. It will focus on our four priorities of people, growth, environment and safety. Ports have a crucial role to play across all of these.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have had with motorcycle manufacturers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers have not met with motorcycle manufacturers. Officials continue to meet with the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), which represents and oversees the interests of motorcycle, moped, scooter and Powered Light Vehicle (PLV) industry.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the uptake of (a) mopeds, (b) motorcycles and (c) other powered light vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At present, the Government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles, mopeds or other powered light vehicles.
The Government supports the purchase of zero emission motorcycles with the plug-in motorcycle grant for those who want to switch to an electric motorcycle. This is available until at least March 2025 and since 2016 has supported the purchase of over 12,000 mopeds and motorcycles.
Resolving the longstanding problems and missed opportunities of micromobility, including e-scooters, is a priority for the Department for Transport and we will work with colleagues across Government to tackle this as soon as possible.
In November, the Government launched its plan to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy, which will set out how all modes of transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve all the people who use it, and enable them to live fulfilling lives.