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.

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.