Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats on (a) choice for passengers and (b) competition among operators on the River Thames; and if he will make a statement.

The assessment of impact for these proposals is ongoing, and as a result of feedback received, policy officials in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will be consulting with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to explore whether the proposals are of interest to them.