Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department have received from (a) individual shipping companies, (b) the UK Chamber of Shipping, (c) maritime trades unions and (d) the TUC on National Minimum Wage enforcement for seafarers since July 2016.

No individual shipping companies have made representations to the Department with regard to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for seafarers.

As Minister of State responsible for this policy area, I formally met the Chamber of Shipping on 23 November for discussions which did not include NMW. However, I have engaged with Chamber officials on several less formal occasions and am fully aware that this is an issue which is of great interest to the Chamber and has been discussed at length with department officials.

I have met maritime trades union officials formally on two occasions (one with Nautilus International and the other with RMT), again to discuss a wide range of issues, including NMW for seafarers. I have also met union representatives, on several occasions, in less formal circumstances, where again discussion was wide ranging and included NMW for seafarers. I will continue to meet trade union representatives on a routine basis in the course of my Departmental business.

Since July 2016 the Secretary of State has met senior TUC officials on two occasions to discuss a wide range of transport issues (including the National Minimum Wage for seafarers).

As part of ongoing stakeholder engagement, officials at DfT are in regular contact with both trades union and the CoS. NMW is one of a range of issues discussed.