Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and (b) Defence on supporting international efforts to protect UK ships against pirates.

The Secretary of State for Transport has not had direct discussions recently with either the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Secretary of State for Defence on the subject of piracy.

The UK’s response to piracy involves many Government departments and the different teams working within them. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Business Innovation & Skills, Home Office, Department for Transport and Ministry of Defence work closely together in supporting international efforts to protect UK ships against pirates.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead the UK’s policy on piracy whilst my Department is responsible for the UK’s policy on maritime armed security guards.