Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that foreign flagged vessels serving UK ports maximise employment of UK seafarers.

We remain committed to maximising the employment of UK seafarers. That is why we support a proportion of the cost of seafarer training though our £30m Support for Maritime Training fund. A range of maritime apprenticeships are also available.

Maritime 2050’s workforce vision focused on good maritime welfare. We are working to improve and reform seafarer employment protections and welfare, ensuring they are paid and treated fairly, irrespective of flag or nationality.

On 30 March, the Secretary of State for Transport announced his intention to change the law so that seafarers working on vessels that regularly use UK ports are paid at least the equivalent to national minimum wage, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarer or flag of the vessel.