Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the financial implications to (a) the Port of London Authority, and (b) Transport for London of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's review into standards on older passenger boats, and if he will make a statement.

Both (a) the Port of London Authority (PLA) and (b) Transport for London (TfL) were notified of publication of the first public consultation package on the proposals to implement the outcome of the review into standards for older passenger ships, which included a draft Impact Assessment (IA).

Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.

Policy officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency met with the PLA on 29 March 2019, and are in ongoing contact with them, and are available to meet with TfL as part of the ongoing consultation process if they have evidence to contribute that will improve the robustness of the IA.

I have directed officials at the MCA to ensure that any impact on TfL and PLA is considered as part of the ongoing work and reflected in the IA narrative.