Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the role of his Department was in the design of the new employment contract for maritime surveyors and inspectors employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and what impact assessment his Department has made of the provision to end the contractual commitment to provide out of hours contact.

Officials at the Department for Transport (DfT) designed and negotiated new terms and conditions of employment for all DfT staff, including those for Marine Surveyors. An offer was presented to the Trade Unions and they balloted their members and accepted the offer.

The provision of out of hours working was and remains on a voluntary and non-contractual basis. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Survey and Inspection Transformation Programme will review the terms and conditions for Marine Surveyors and will consider the appropriateness of the current employment contract arrangements.