Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the final costs associated with the awarding of a contract to Seabourne Freight was broken down by (a) monies paid to Seaborne, (b) compensation to other cross-channel operators and (c) all legal costs associated with negotiations and court cases.

No monies were paid to Seaborne Freight. No compensation was paid to other cross-Channel operators.

The Department incurred internal legal costs and fees to its commercial legal adviser for advice on negotiating and subsequently terminating the 2018-19 ferry contracts entered into on a precautionary basis for critical goods, in relation to then-impending exit from the European Union.