Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department is having with (a) commercial companies, (b) other relevant organisations and (c) other governments on facilitating the return home of UK nationals who remain stranded on vessels at sea as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working around the clock, through our Posts overseas and in London, to make sure all British travellers who need and want to return to the UK are receiving the support and information they need. We have now brought home over 36,100 people on 173 flights organised by the Foreign Office from 39 countries and territories and supported repatriation of over 19,000 Britons from cruise ships, either by providing consular assistance, or by working with local authorities and cruise operators to allow ships to dock.

No British national passengers remain on cruise ships, but we recognise this is a worrying time for British crew on board cruise ships and other vessels around the world. It is primarily the responsibility of their employers - the cruise ship and vessel operators - to ensure the welfare and safety of their crew.??The Government is in direct contact with these operators, as well as directly with many crew members and their families.

Our overseas missions are liaising closely with local authorities in an effort to facilitate disembarkation and ensure British crew can access flights home. The Government restated its commitment to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) at the start of this crisis, ensuring we lead globally on our obligations to seafarers welfare, and this is a position we intend to uphold.

Not all British crew are seeking to return to the UK. Some may wish to stay with the ship (with their employer's consent), while others may be required by their role to do so as part of the minimum safe manning requirements for the vessel. This is a legislative and flag state requirement to ensure the continued seaworthiness of vessels.