Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether seafarers working on ferry services between ports in the south of England and ports in (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey will be eligible for protections under the policy entitled Nine-point plan for seafarers – our commitments to protect seafarers, published 6 July 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Seafarers’ Wages Bill is a key strand in the Nine-Pont Plan for seafarer protections and will ensure that seafarers with close ties to the UK, working aboard services in scope of the Bill and do not qualify for the UK National Minimum Wage, are paid a fair wage.
It will apply to services calling at UK ports from a place outside the UK at least once every 72 hours, which equates to 120 times a year, and access to UK ports will be conditional on operators demonstrating that they will be paying at least an equivalent to the UK National Minimum Wage to their seafarers whilst in UK waters. This would include services calling from Jersey and Guernsey whilst in UK territorial waters, provided that they meet the frequency threshold.
We have also begun engaging with Jersey and Guernsey on how we can improve seafarer welfare and to explore the creation of minimum wage equivalent corridors.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on bilateral agreements on seafarer welfare and employment conditions with (a) France, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Belgium, (e) Spain, (f) Denmark and (g) Norway.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
We are liaising with and have engaged all of our near European neighbours on how we can collaborate on seafarer welfare and to explore the creation of minimum wage equivalent corridors.
A Bill has been deposited in the French National Assembly that aims to provide a level of pay protection to seafarers working on certain cross-channel services between the UK and France, whilst in specific parts of French territorial waters. We are also working with the French government as they develop their own version of the UK’s Seafarers’ Charter and research into seafarer fatigue.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made to date with Operation Zero and its target of delivering zero emission vessels in the offshore wind supply chain by 2025.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Operation Zero implementation plan was launched in Grimsby in October 2022 with attendance from signatories from across the offshore wind sector and government officials. At this event the steering board and working groups for the initiative were formed.
The first meeting of the steering board is scheduled for April this year with the working groups meeting in March.
My department has been engaging with relevant teams across government to progress this work.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the Critical Freight Grant has been granted to (a) P&O Ferries and (b) each other operator receiving the grant since it was introduced.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The proportions paid under the scheme active between January and June 2021 were, to the nearest percentage: P&O Ferries 18%; Brittany Ferries 29%; DFDS 32%; Stena Line 21%. All contracts under this Framework have now been terminated.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings (a) he and (b) his officials have had with representatives from transport trade unions to discuss P&O Ferries since he entered office on 25 October 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Officials meet with representatives from relevant transport trade unions on a regular basis to discuss progress with the seafarer protections nine-point plan and Seafarers’ Wages Bill. So far, the Secretary of State has not had the opportunity to do so.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last held discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) the Home Department and (b) Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the potential effect of the Offshore Wind Workers Immigration Rules Concession 2017 on maritime (i) jobs and (ii) skills.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
Neither I, nor my colleague the Secretary of State, have yet had any discussions with our counterparts at the Home Office or Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about this specific matter. However, I look forward to engaging colleagues on this important issue.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to prohibit all forms of discrimination against all seafarers working in the merchant shipping industry.
Answered by Robert Courts
This government believes all seafarers should be treated fairly, regardless of nationality. While we can only act directly in respect of UK vessels and within UK waters, we continue to work through international forums to try to secure agreement on the fair treatment of all seafarers.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency last discussed safety compliance in the ferry sector with the (a) Cypriot, (b) Bahamian and (c) Bermudan ship registers.
Answered by Robert Courts
Officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have been in regular contact with their counterparts in the Cypriot, Bahamian and Bermudan registers since 21 March in relation to P&O Ferries and safety compliance.
The Cyprus flag authorised Lloyds Register to act on their behalf and MCA Port State Control Inspectors have been continuously liaising with Lloyds Register during the MCA’s Port State Control inspections on board the Cypriot-flagged vessels.
Maritime Inspectors from Bahamas and Bermuda have been on board their respective flagged vessels during the MCA’s Port State Control inspections and liaising with the MCA during these inspections.
The MCA discussed any concerns related to safety and seafarers working and living conditions with the Cypriot, Bahamian and Bermudan representatives as part of the Port State Control inspection.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the dates of any discussions his Department has had with the (a) Cypriot, (b) Bahamian and (c) Bermudan ship registers on P&O Ferries Ltd.'s dismissal of UK seafarers on 17 March 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts
Officials contacted the authorities in each state following notification of the redundancies by P&O Ferries. Initial responses were received from Cyprus on 23rd March, Bermuda on 24th March, and The Bahamas on 31st March.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the Seafarers (Insolvency, Collective Redundancies and Information and Consultation Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018 following P&O Ferries Ltd.'s dismissal of UK seafarers on 17 March 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts
The Insolvency Service have initiated both criminal and civil investigations into the circumstances surrounding the recent redundancies made by P&O Ferries. Until these investigations are concluded, the government will not be commenting further.