Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the potential effect of the recommendations of the Maritime Growth Study, published in September 2015, on the future supply of UK-domiciled merchant seafarers to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) recruits and trains UK Merchant Seafarers for service with the RFA. The RFA as one of the largest trainers of UK seafarers is fully engaged with the UK Chamber of Shipping and Merchant Navy Training Board in shaping the current and future training requirements of seafarers. The RFA as part of the wider Naval Service is represented at the Ministerial Working Groups for the Maritime Growth Study by the Royal Navy.