Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made on (a) value for money and (b) quality of service of bringing outsourced rail security provision in-house as contracts expire.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ensuring value for money is a requirement for all DfT contracted train operators. Publicly owned train operators also have a duty to follow the guidance on managing public money.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which of the train companies contracted to the DfT have outsourced security contracts; and the value and length of those contracts are.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The majority of DfT contracted train operators have contracts for specialist passenger facing security provision. Contract details for public sector operators can be found at this link https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder. Details of private sector operators’ contracts are commercially confidential.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) spending by the rail industry on private security and (b) her Department's funding for the British Transport Police.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is committed to working with the rail industry as we move towards the creation of Great British Railways to ensure that security provision on the network keeps staff and passengers safe. The Department are currently undertaking analysis of private security spend by the 14 train operating companies that have been or are due to be nationalised.
The British Transport Police (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). BTP's costs are passed on to individual Train Operating Companies and Network Rail. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. BTP work closely with BTPA and industry operators to make final resourcing decisions with their agreed budget.
In the year 2025/26 BTP received a 5.9% budget increase. The budget for 2026/27 will be set by the BTPA imminently following engagement with the rail industry. Like other police forces the BTP has operational independence, so the BTP Chief Constable and Chief Officers use a variety of data to inform the deployment of officers and other resources, following the agreement of the budget.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) certificates of competency and (b) certificates of equivalent competency were issued to ships’ cooks by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each year between 2015 and 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane
Please see below table for the number of certificates of competency issued for ships’ cooks in each year between 2015 to 2024
| Ships Cooks Certificates of Competency issued |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
Certs Issued | 141 | 141 | 190 | 254 | 397 | 134 | 83 | 65 | 75 | 92 | 1572 |
Please be advised that there is no requirement for a certificate of equivalent competency for Ships Cook.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who represented her Department at the second annual review of the Cyprus-UK bilateral Memorandum of Understanding in December 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane
The annual review of the Cyprus-UK bilateral Memorandum of Understanding is led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Director General for Europe. The Department was not represented during the second annual review which took place in December 2024. However, the Department worked with the FCDO to review the UK-Cyprus Joint Statement and provided written contributions on transport related issues covered in the strategic dialogue as part of the second annual review.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Shipping Deputy Ministry of the Republic of Cyprus in promoting higher standards of seafarer (a) employment and (b) welfare in the short sea ferry industry.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Memorandum of Understanding covers maritime safety, security and environment and is a basis for dialogue of mutual interest to both states, and to exchange information and best practice. It also promotes cooperation on dialogue in the international fora on areas of common interest.
For seafarers, we have seen this most recently in April in our co-operation with Canada, EU member states including Cyprus, and others on important amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention that the UK helped to drive through.
As the flag state for several vessels on the short sea ferry sector, Cyprus complies with all international and EU requirements in terms of employment and welfare of seafarers. Domestic regulations put in place by the coastal state may go over and beyond international requirements. These are compliant with international law and recognise the authority of the flag state.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of open shipping registers on (a) employment and (b) welfare standards for seafarers working in the shipping industry.
Answered by Mike Kane
Improving the pay and working conditions of seafarers is a priority for this government. We are committed to working with the sector and our international partners to improve standards.
All vessels visiting the UK must comply with international minimum standards on employment and welfare. We work with like-minded states and our social partners to continue to improve those international standards.
The UK has signed Memoranda of Understanding with Spain, Greece and Cyprus agreeing to coordinate on matters relating to the conditions of seafarers.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the operation of the Skilled Worker route for marine and waterways transport operatives.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Skilled Worker visa for Marine and waterways transport operatives has not been discussed between DfT and Home Office Ministers. Officials continue to liaise with their Home Office counterparts and update Ministers where appropriate.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's statistics entitled Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry: 2024, published on 26 February 2025, if she will work with maritime trade unions to set targets for the number of maritime apprentices in (a) Deck, (b) Engine, (c) Electro-technical (d) Catering and (e) On Board Service roles.
Answered by Mike Kane
The UK has a strategic need to ensure a pipeline of trained seafarers, particularly with greener ships, future fuels, new technologies and automation. The Department is working with the sector, including trade unions, to deliver the recommendations from the Ratings Review, published in 2023. This will ensure the UK has the ratings workforce needed to secure the long-term strength of our maritime industry.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48569 on Shipping: Training, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the (a) number and (b) type of maritime apprenticeships that maritime (i) colleges and (ii) training providers will offer in each year from 2025 to 2030.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Ratings Review Oversight Committee, made up of industry representatives and officials, is responsible for delivering the recommendations from the review. This will include engagement with the Department for Education.