Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will set out the Government’s negotiating position ahead of the 79th session of the International Maritime Organisation’s Marine Environment Protection Committee.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The 79th session of the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO’s) Marine Environment Protection Committee runs from 12 to 16 December 2022.
The UK’s position on the matters, such as Greenhouse Gas emissions and ballast water, that will be discussed during this session has been consulted on and agreed by Ministers.
It would not be appropriate to set out the UK’s negotiation position while those discussions are taking place. The IMO will publish, on its website, a meeting summary after the session has concluded.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2022 to Question 80719, on Ferries: Crew, how many meetings officials in his Department have had since 1 March 2022 with representatives of (a) the International Labour Organisation and (b) the International Maritime Organisation at which (i) roster patterns and (ii) minimum crewing levels in the short sea shipping industry were discussed.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Officials meet with representatives from the maritime industry on a regular basis to discuss progress with the seafarer protections nine-point plan, including on matters such as roster patterns and the Seafarers’ Wages Bill.
In parallel to this engagement, officials have also met with relevant multilateral institutions, including the International Labour Organization, to ensure seafarer protections remains on the global agenda.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2022 to Question 80719 on Ferries: Crew, how many meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the ferry industry at which roster patterns were discussed since 1 March 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Officials meet with representatives from the maritime industry on a regular basis to discuss progress with the seafarer protections nine-point plan, including on matters such as roster patterns and the Seafarers’ Wages Bill.
In parallel to this engagement, officials have also met with relevant multilateral institutions, including the International Labour Organization, to ensure seafarer protections remains on the global agenda.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money P&O has received from contracts under the Freight Capacity Framework Agreement since it was introduced.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Payments under the Freight Capacity Framework Agreement to P&O Ferries Holdings Ltd have totalled approximately £11M. Eligibility of services ceased at the end of July 2021; all the contracts under the Framework have terminated and there is no intention to let further contracts under it.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether P&O Ferries was considered for funding through round two of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition; and whether P&O Ferries will be barred from round three.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
P&O Ferries did not bid into either Round 2 or Round 3 of the CMDC and will therefore not directly receive any CMDC funding.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Secretary of State for Justice on developing minimum wage corridors between UK ports and ports in Crown Dependencies.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
There have been no discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on this matter.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to contribute to the work of the Maritime Just Transition Task Force since it was established at COP26.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department regularly engages with the members of the Taskforce, although it has not directly engaged with the Taskforce itself.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much public funding P&O Ferries has received through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The first round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition awarded funding to the Dover Clean Ferry Project for a feasibility study between September 2021 – March 2022. The University of Kent was the lead organisation and P&O Ferries was one of their partners in the project consortium.
Funding was given to P&O for costs incurred as part of the Dover Clean Ferry Project. This amounted to £3,168.45. They received no further funding after this point.
P&O Ferries was not part of any winning bids in the second round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help improve the services operated by TransPennine Express.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department, which manages TPE’s contract in partnership with Transport for the North, as a temporary solution and subject to strict conditions, agreed that TPE could introduce a revised timetable from mid-September 2022 for services it operates on the West Coast Main Line.
The amended timetable was discussed with Northern stakeholders, including the Manchester Airport Group and Transport for Greater Manchester, and entails reductions in services back to a similar level provided pre-May 2022, complemented by additional bus services in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders.
My officials have been in regular contact with TPE to manage the provision of services and have agreed a programme of measures to deliver a more reliable timetable, including:
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there is a short-term service improvement plan in place for TransPennine Express.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department, which manages TPE’s contract in partnership with Transport for the North, as a temporary solution and subject to strict conditions, agreed that TPE could introduce a revised timetable from mid-September 2022 for services it operates on the West Coast Main Line.
The amended timetable was discussed with Northern stakeholders, including the Manchester Airport Group and Transport for Greater Manchester, and entails reductions in services back to a similar level provided pre-May 2022, complemented by additional bus services in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders.
My officials have been in regular contact with TPE to manage the provision of services and have agreed a programme of measures to deliver a more reliable timetable, including: