Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will have discussions with (a) ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport, (b) operators, (c) the offshore oil and gas industry and (d) trade unions on the safety of offshore helicopter transport operations.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State meets regularly with her ministerial colleagues and other stakeholders, including the offshore oil and gas trade association, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), to discuss a wide range of subjects.
Officials also meet regularly with OEUK, who are working closely on offshore safety issues with helicopter operators, oil and gas operators and contractors, offshore trade unions, the pilots’ union BALPA, the relevant regulators (Health and Safety Executive and the Civil Aviation Authority) and trade associations.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions she has had with the Department for Transport on the regulation of helicopter transport services for offshore oil and gas workers.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The regulation of helicopter transport services for offshore oil and gas workers is a matter for other bodies, such as the Civil Aviation Authority. Officials are in regular contact with Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), which engages directly on this issue on behalf of the offshore oil and gas sector with relevant bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive, the Civil Aviation Authority, helicopter operators, oil and gas operators and contractors, offshore trade unions, and the pilots’ union BALPA
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Section 4 of his Department's dataset entitled Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry: 2023, published on 22 February 2024, what discussions he is having with (a) employers in the shipping industry, (b) trade unions and (c) the Maritime Skills Commission on maritime apprenticeships in the UK shipping industry.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department works with the Maritime Skills Alliance who design and promote qualifications and apprenticeships for the UK’s maritime sector. The Secretary to the Maritime Skills Alliance is a commissioner on the Maritime Skills Commission (MSC), which also includes trade union and employer representation. Apprenticeships have been discussed by the MSC, primarily in relation to the Ratings Review, which was published in September 2023. Maritime Minister Lord Davies discussed the Ratings Review with the MSC Chair on 27th February 2024.
The Department remains committed to ensuring seafarers have the qualifications they need, and their training is future proofed through the Cadet Training and Modernisation Programme and implementation of the Ratings Review.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen to discuss industrial action on railways.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State and I have facilitated discussions with rail trade unions to help resolve national disputes, but it is the role of the rail industry, as the employer, to discuss industrial action on the railways.
These discussions led to a fair and reasonable offer which has resolved the dispute with RMT, TSSA and Unite after it was overwhelmingly accepted by union members, meaning ASLEF is the only rail union still refusing to put the offer to a vote.
We continue to urge ASLEF to put industry’s fair offer to its members in the train operating companies which is the only way to end this dispute.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the economic impact that rail worker strikes will have on affected businesses and individuals.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the significant impact that rail industrial action has on businesses and individuals. That is why the Transport Secretary and Rail Minister have facilitated discussions between industry and trade unions to help resolve current disputes. We are pleased that RMT, TSSA and Unite have now ended disputes with the train operators, with further discussions to follow on important workforce reforms.
ASLEF are now the only union left in dispute. We have urged ASLEF to put the current offer on the table, facilitated by Ministers, to their members but they still refuse to do so. The Department for Transport also works with its contracted train operators to ensure that disruption from strikes is minimised as much as possible.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on finding a resolution to industrial action on the railways since December 2022.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has supported negotiations by facilitating discussions between trade unions and the employers, being represented by the Rail Delivery Group. On 8 November, the RMT agreed to put the Rail Delivery Group’s offer to its members which would see the current strike mandate removed. The Government welcomes this development and remains committed to resolving industrial disputes and ensuring the railways are reformed.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen on finding a resolution to industrial action on the railways.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government has no formal role in the negotiations but has facilitated meetings between trade unions and their employers in seeking to bring the disputes to an end. It has always been the role of employers to negotiate with unions, as the pay offers are put forward by the train operators. The Rail Delivery Group presented a fair and reasonable offer to ASLEF which it rejected without allowing its members to vote on their future. We continue to urge ASLEF to put the offer to their members in the train companies to give them a say on their future.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen to discuss industrial action on the railways.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government has no formal role in the negotiations but has facilitated meetings between trade unions and their employers in seeking to bring the disputes to an end. It has always been the role of employers to negotiate with unions, as the pay offers are put forward by the train operators. The Rail Delivery Group presented a fair and reasonable offer to ASLEF which it rejected without allowing its members to vote on their future. We continue to urge ASLEF to put the offer to their members in the train companies to give them a say on their future.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on finding a resolution to industrial action on the railways.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government has no formal role in the negotiations but has facilitated meetings between trade unions and their employers in seeking to bring the disputes to an end. It has always been the role of employers to negotiate with unions, as the pay offers are put forward by the train operators. The Rail Delivery Group presented a fair and reasonable offer to the RMT which it rejected without allowing its members to vote on their future. We continue to urge the RMT to put the offer to their members in the train companies to give them a say on their future.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers to discuss industrial action on the railways.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government has no formal role in the negotiations but has facilitated meetings between trade unions and their employers in seeking to bring the disputes to an end. It has always been the role of employers to negotiate with unions, as the pay offers are put forward by the train operators. The Rail Delivery Group presented a fair and reasonable offer to the RMT which it rejected without allowing its members to vote on their future. We continue to urge the RMT to put the offer to their members in the train companies to give them a say on their future.