Shipping: Training

(asked on 16th October 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many UK ratings were trained by Tonnage Tax qualifying companies using the three-year pilot scheme introduced in the Tonnage Tax (Training Requirement) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.


Answered by
Nusrat Ghani Portrait
Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
This question was answered on 24th October 2018

The three-year ratings training pilot was introduced in the Tonnage Tax (Training Requirement) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 following proposals made by the industry and Unions. Since its creation 3 companies have trained a total of 40 ratings. Whilst this demonstrates limited initial take up we recognise there were some initial challenges bringing this option into effect. We will continue to work with employers and the unions to promote this training option under our tonnage tax and will ensure that our guidance provides greater clarity for companies.

The pilot was initially introduced for a period of at least three years and first enabled companies to use it in October 2015, although it is recognised that many colleges would already have established their 2015/16 syllabus, when the Regulations were made. Nevertheless we will keep its operation under review.

The ratings training pilot is one method for creating ratings opportunities. The Department is also an active member of the Ratings Task Force together with industry and Unions and looks forward to the development of a Ratings Strategy. It is the responsibility of Government, Unions and industry to identify opportunities to increase our ratings numbers.

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