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.

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.