Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of vessels operating out of UK ports that do not pay the National Minimum Wage.

We will be taking action to defend the rights of British workers and we will be encouraging workers themselves to take action under the 1996 Employment Rights Act. Colleagues at BEIS will be able to offer further insight on the legal action to be taken.

The Government is strongly committed to the welfare and protection of workers’ rights.

Already we have strengthened the minimum wage to apply to all seafarers ordinarily working in our territorial waters - regardless of their nationality and regardless of where the vessel they are working is registered.

Furthermore, on 30 March 2022 the Transport Secretary announced a nine-point plan to Parliament to ensure there is no repeat of P&O ferries actions.

1. Changing the law so that seafarers are paid at least the minimum wage.

2. Writing to ports to request they bar access to ferry operators which do not pay the minimum wage.

3. Working with international partners to create minimum wage corridors.

4. Stepping up enforcement by asking HMRC to investigate the maritime sector.

5. Requiring the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to step up and review their enforcement policies.

6. Financially penalising companies which use fire and rehire.

7. Taking action against P&O Ferries’ Chief Executive.

8. Improving the long-term working conditions of seafarers.

9. Encouraging more ships to operate under the British flag, affording the workers on board more rights.