Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has (a) conducted or (b) plans to conduct an impact assessment on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older Thames passenger boats on (i) tourism in London, (ii) the maintenance of skilled jobs, (iii) the night economy in London and (iv) employment in boatyards.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.

However, the process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties, and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.