Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2023 to Question 141634 on Wind Power: Seas and Oceans, whether the Government holds any information on non-UK flagged vessels specifically operating in the offshore wind sector.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
As per previous answers to Questions 141634 and 149653, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) does not hold registration data for non-UK Flagged vessels specifically operating in the offshore wind sector.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency guidance that seatbelt buckle guards should not be used on the safety of young people with additional needs and disabilities when travelling in vehicles, including taxis and mini buses.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
I recognise the importance of vulnerable young people being able to travel safely to school and elsewhere and I understand why some local authorities have chosen to use these devices to try and keep children safe. However, there are potential safety issues in the event of an emergency, and for this reason DVSA has sent two direct notices to public service vehicle operators to highlight the potential issues.
However, this is a complicated matter and the DVSA has no plans to target enforcement action against their use, instead it will support PSV operators and other transport providers and DVSA is working with industry to develop solutions to maintain the safe transport of PSV users.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2023 to Question 141634 on Wind Power: Seas and Oceans, what the requirements and criteria are that non-UK Flagged vessels must meet in order to operate in the offshore wind sector.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Requirements for a foreign operator to operate under the guise of a High-Speed Offshore Service Craft (HSOSC) are the same as for operating UK vessels. However, the flag state has to approach the UK to request permission to operate in UK waters and any additional conditions for their Permit To Operate (PTO), noting that the UK has a mutual letter of acceptance with the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) and the Netherlands for their equivalence Certificate Standard to the UK HSOSC Code.
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), Mobile Offshore Unit (MOU) and Mobile Offshore Windfarm Unit (MOWU) vessels may operate under the cargo vessel statutory certification, as per a UK vessel or be in possession of compliance certificates under the MODU Code. The UK would not accept MODU certificates on MOU/MOWU’s; they would have to comply with the cargo equivalent for their gross tonnage and/length as per a UK vessel.
Non-UK Workboats are required to hold an equivalent workboat Certificate or Load Line (or Load Line Exemption), which is accepted within the UK. Any Offshore Supply Vessel, Emergency Response Rescue Vessel (ERRV) or conventional cargo vessel have the same operator requirements as per UK vessels. All the above certification requirements for operators on all mentioned vessels are applicable to UK and non-UK operators in UK territorial waters including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2023 to Question 141634 on Wind Power: Seas and Oceans, if his Department will make an estimate of the (a) number of non-UK Flagged vessels operating in the offshore wind sector and (b) percentage of the total number of vessels operating in the offshore wind sector that are UK Flagged.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
As per previous answer to Question 141634, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) does not hold registration data for non-UK Flagged vessels specifically operating in the offshore wind sector.
Therefore, the second part of the question cannot be answered. In order to calculate the percentage of UK Flagged vessels it would require a volume of the whole sector and the MCA does not have this information.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has been made on the recommendations of the Union Connectivity Review relating to the upgrade and improvement of the East Coast Main Line and A1.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Government is considering the recommendation in Lord Peter Hendy's independent Union Connectivity Review for an assessment of the East Coast road and rail transport corridor alongside existing projects and the major upgrade of the East Coast Main Line included in the Integrated Rail Plan. Ministers and officials maintain regular dialogue with the Scottish Government on a wide range of issues including Lord Hendy’s recommendations and the upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) the Scottish Government or (b) Scottish agencies on the upgrade of the A1 Northumberland into Scotland.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Government is considering the recommendation in Lord Peter Hendy's independent Union Connectivity Review for an assessment of the East Coast road and rail transport corridor alongside existing projects and the major upgrade of the East Coast Main Line included in the Integrated Rail Plan. Ministers and officials maintain regular dialogue with the Scottish Government on a wide range of issues including Lord Hendy’s recommendations and the upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Scottish Government and (b) its agencies on the upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Government is considering the recommendation in Lord Peter Hendy's independent Union Connectivity Review for an assessment of the East Coast road and rail transport corridor alongside existing projects and the major upgrade of the East Coast Main Line included in the Integrated Rail Plan. Ministers and officials maintain regular dialogue with the Scottish Government on a wide range of issues including Lord Hendy’s recommendations and the upgrade of the East Coast Main Line.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the ships operating in the offshore wind sector are (a) registered or flagged in the UK and (b) registered and flagged abroad.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
As of December 2021, there were 165 UK Registered (flagged) vessels operating in the offshore wind sector accounting for 236,000 Gross Tons (GT). It is important to note that these vessels all hold certification to operate in and around the North Sea and their owners and operators have contracts specifically in the Offshore Wind sector.
The Government does not hold registration data for non-UK Flagged vessels specifically operating in the offshore wind sector.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the oil and gas support vessels operating in the North Sea are (a) registered or flagged in the UK and (b) registered or flagged abroad.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
As of December 2021, there were 149 UK Registered (flagged) vessels operating in the Oil & Gas sector accounting for 657,000 Gross Tons (GT). It is important to note that these vessels all hold certification to operate in and around the North Sea and their owners and operators have contracts specifically in the Oil & Gas sector.
The Government does not hold registration data for non-UK Flagged vessels specifically operating in the oil and gas sector.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what are the requirements that (a) a vessel and (b) an operator must meet to operate in offshore wind in both territorial waters and the UK exclusive economic zone.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Statutory Certification requirements for a vessel to operate in offshore wind in both territorial waters and the UK exclusive economic zone (EEZ) depends on the vessel type. The most common type of vessel operating in this sector is a High-Speed Offshore Service Craft (HSOSC). HSOSC’s are permitted to operate with up to 60 industrial personnel (walk to work) with a vessel less than 500 gross tonnage (GT). This can be up to 150nm from the UK coast, which would then include the EEZ. This would need to be certified in accordance with the HS(OSC) Code.
Other types of vessels that work within this sector such as Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), Mobile Offshore Unit (MOU), Mobile Offshore Windfarm Unit (MOWU) are subject to the same statutory requirements as a cargo vessel. When workboats are used they are restricted to 12 passengers onboard, that are not crew. Special Purpose Vessel (SPS) over 500GT carrying more than 12 passengers are certificated as passenger vessels or under the Special Purpose Ships Safety (SPS) Code (MGN 674(M)). Any Offshore Supply Vessel, Emergency Response Rescue Vessel (ERRV) or conventional cargo vessel would be certificated with the applicable conventions subject to the GT and/or length, or UK legislation where they are outside of the applicable limits of the appropriate convention.
Operators need to contact the MCA to verify that the vessels are appropriately certified. Some vessel types may require compliance with the ISM Code which requires operators to hold a Document of Compliance (DoC).