Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his department’s policy to apply, on a voluntary basis, the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention to the (a) merchant navy seafarers and (b) vessels in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, does not apply to warships or naval auxiliaries, including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The Government has therefore not designated RFA vessels as ships to which the MLC formally applies. The Ministry of Defence ensures that all personnel serving on RFA vessels are provided with working and living conditions consistent with the principles of MLC wherever this is practicable and compatible with operational requirements.

In respect of merchant navy seafarers employed by the Department, the Government fully applies the provisions of the MLC in line with UK merchant shipping legislation.