Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the new Maritime and Coastguard Agency proposed safety code for small vessels on microbusinesses.

My department works closely with the Maritime Coastguard Agency on regulations, including the new proposals for small commercial vessels, to ensure that they evolve alongside technology and alternative fuels while maintaining safety. The UK is committed to supporting a robust UK maritime sector — recognising that 99% of businesses in the industry are SMEs — and is dedicated to fostering their growth. Support is available through UK Export Finance, export campaigns and through Department for Transport initiatives including UK SHORE, which has funded decarbonisation projects involving over 150 SMEs, together with the new SME support hub launched by the Ministry of Defence.