Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department provides on whether the Subsidy Control Act 2022 precludes (a) the Scottish Government Road Equivalent Tariff and (b) other public subsidies from operating where a private operator operates a competing service.

International freight and passenger ferry services are generally operated on a fully commercial basis, without UK government support. The UK ferry market is a highly competitive sector with operators offering multiple routes and good levels of connectivity to the EU.

The Subsidy Control Act 2022, of which the main provisions came into effect on 4 January 2023, sets the framework for support to ferry services in the United Kingdom, including that provided by devolved administrations, with a view to securing fair competition, value for money and compliance with our international trade obligations.

The Department for Transport provides no specific guidance on this related to ferries. The Department for Business and Trade leads on subsidy matters and provides guidance on public authorities' legal obligations under the UK subsidy control regime.