Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ticket office closures on wheelchair users.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators were required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. All operators prepared Equality Impact Assessments and published these on their websites.
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. The consultation period has now closed, and we now expect train operators to work collaboratively with the passenger bodies in the coming weeks, to listen to the concerns raised and to refine their proposals accordingly.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help ensure that assistance is provided at stations without ticket offices for people who have difficulties with automated systems.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. The consultation period has now closed, and we expect train operators to work collaboratively with the passenger bodies in the coming weeks, to listen to the concerns raised and to refine their proposals accordingly.
We have been clear that no currently staffed station should be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and operators should ensure that staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future. This includes ensuring that staff remain available to help passengers use ticket vending machines, or their own devices to purchase tickets and they can assist those who need additional support or do not wish to use digital tickets. Exact staffing arrangements would vary by train operator and station and are subject to ongoing discussions with staff and their trade union representatives.
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 make an assessment of the potential impact of the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report 2023 on levels of employment in the UK maritime sector.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport has not made a formal assessment on the compatibility of the Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report 2023 with the aims of the Maritime 2050 Strategy. The Department does not plan an assessment of the report on levels of employment in the UK maritime sector, noting the report itself is already highly detailed and provides an employment estimate broken down by role.
Enhancing the UK’s maritime skills and training offer is at the heart of the Government’s commitment to level up the economy. This objective is supported by the recommendations of the Maritime 2050 People Route Map. To support delivery, the Department commissioned the Maritime Skills Commission to undertake Cadet and Ratings Reviews with the objective of exploring where barriers and opportunities exist to enhance and grow the offer for UK seafarers.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what guidance her Department issues on the domestic employment laws applicable to (a) seafarers and (b) other workers carrying out work on offshore wind farms designated by the Renewable Energy Zone (Designation of Area) Order 2004.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government is committed to the protection of workers’ rights for seafarers and those in offshore employment. In 2020 the Government extended minimum wage entitlement to seafarers on domestic voyages.
Seafarers can access ‘Seafarer working and living rights’ Pages for clear guidance on their rights.
We will continue to review the needs of the renewable energy sector and its workforce - and take action when needed - as we progress towards reaching Net Zero by 2050.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the employment estimates in the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report 2023 with the aims of the Maritime 2050 Strategy.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport has not made a formal assessment on the compatibility of the Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report 2023 with the aims of the Maritime 2050 Strategy. The Department does not plan an assessment of the report on levels of employment in the UK maritime sector, noting the report itself is already highly detailed and provides an employment estimate broken down by role.
Enhancing the UK’s maritime skills and training offer is at the heart of the Government’s commitment to level up the economy. This objective is supported by the recommendations of the Maritime 2050 People Route Map. To support delivery, the Department commissioned the Maritime Skills Commission to undertake Cadet and Ratings Reviews with the objective of exploring where barriers and opportunities exist to enhance and grow the offer for UK seafarers.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the recommendations made in the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government welcomes publication of the report. The Government’s ambition for up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030 and plans to strengthen energy security and attract investment into the UK, means that the skilled workforce must grow. It is expected that the sector will need to grow to support around 90,000 jobs by 2030.
The Government works with industry on the development of a skilled offshore wind workforce through the Offshore Wind Industry Council Investment in Talent Group and the Green Jobs Delivery Group, the central forum for action on green jobs and skills.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the sale of 2.4GW of UK offshore windfarm assets by Macquarie Asset Management to Macquarie Group Limited in April 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The transaction between Macquarie Asset Management and Equitix in April is a commercial matter for the companies involved and has not been assessed by the Department.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to secure (a) employment and (b) training for UK resident workers on the six projects that were successful in Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4; and what the current status is of each of those projects.
Answered by Graham Stuart
All large offshore wind projects must submit a supply chain plan to the Government when bidding for support from the Contracts for Difference scheme. These plans include an applicant’s commitments on addressing skill gaps and shortages. Leasing Round 4 projects have not yet bid for Contracts for Difference due to their stage in the development cycle. All six projects are preparing Development Consent Applications.
The Green Jobs Delivery Group is the central forum for action on green jobs and skills. Through this forum the Government is delivering its green jobs commitments as outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, and the Powering Up Britain Plan.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many jobs the Green Jobs Delivery Group has delivered to date; and if he will set annual green job delivery targets for each year to 2030 for each industrial sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Powering Up Britain plan sets out how the Government will grow the economy whilst decarbonising and supporting up to 480,000 jobs in 2030. Over 80,000 jobs are being supported or in the pipeline because of new government policies and spending since 2020.
The Government does not plan to set job targets, but is focused on delivering green jobs. In 2024, the Green Jobs Delivery Group will publish a Net Zero and Nature Workforce Action Plan.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will review the application of the national minimum wage to seafarers working in renewable energy zones.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation applies to those who work or ordinarily work in the UK, as well as to some workers on UK-registered ships. We have a proud record of ex-tending the NMW to seafarers.
In October 2020, legislation came into force to extend the minimum wage to all seafarers on domestic voyages in the UK territorial sea or UK section of the continental shelf.
We will continue to consider the needs of all sectors of the economy and take measures where these are needed, taking an evidence-based approach if any further changes to the NMW legislation are needed.