Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the requirement for seafarers to have either ENG1 or ML5 medical certificates in order to continue working at sea after November 2023, what assessment he has made of whether it is appropriate to include questions relating to BMI in the application process seafarers must undertake in order to obtain a ML5 medical certificate.

The use of body mass index (BMI) is included in the International Labour Organization/International Maritime Organization’s Guidelines of the medical examinations of seafarers. Body mass index is a useful indicator of when additional assessment is needed. It does not form the sole basis for decisions on capability. There is no upper limit on BMI value for the assessor to issue a medical certificate and any restrictions or unfit decisions are usually based on other medical conditions and issues with physical capability rather than the BMI number itself.