Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Ratings were trained on Tonnage Tax qualifying vessels since 2000-01.
Prior to 2015, the training of ratings did not contribute to the minimum training obligation placed on tonnage tax companies. As a result no ratings are recorded as having been trained on tonnage tax qualifying vessels. The table below shows the numbers since the minimum training obligation was introduced. The figures for the current academic year (2018/19) are incomplete as the training year is still ongoing.
Ratings Trained | |
2015/16 | 6 |
2016/17 | 13 |
2017/18 | 31 |
2018/19 | incomplete |
The Department has a number of initiatives to promote employment of UK seafarers at all ranks and across all sectors. For ratings these include SMarT funding, the training link in UK Tonnage Tax and apprenticeships. The Ratings Taskforce, which comprised representatives from industry and the unions, was reconvened to look at promotion of ratings training and employment opportunities. The Taskforce has now been merged with the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) Futures Group which will continue this work.