Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Extra protections for seafarers as government introduces new maritime laws, published on 30 March 2022, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of those new laws on the crewing model operated in the short sea ferry sector by (a) P&O Ferries and (b) other operators.

The Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 received Royal Assent in March 2023. The Act makes access to UK ports for services calling at a UK port at least 120 times a year conditional on payment of the equivalent of the UK National Minimum Wage.