Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of requiring (a) P&O Ferries and (b) other UK ferry operators to pay the national minimum wage to their UK employees.

Legislation will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows that intends to ensure that seafarers working on vessels that regularly use UK ports are paid at least at least an equivalent rate to the National Minimum Wage, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarer or flag of the vessel.

We have published a public consultation on this which sets out full details of the proposals, seeking views on the scope of services this should apply to, the compliance process and have published this alongside a supporting impact assessment. We want to sure that potential impacts of the proposed Bill have been considered prior to introduction and have therefore published the impact assessment on which we welcome input from stakeholders.