Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the whether absence of a UK Emissions Trading Scheme exemption for English island lifeline ferry routes will result in higher fares and freight increases compared to protected Scottish routes; and whether they will publish that assessment.

The Domestic Maritime Final Impact assessment was published on the 25^th November 2025.

The Government has not undertaken route-level, ferry fare modelling. This is because, as set out in the Impact Assessment, operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely. The qualitative assessment indicates that any passthrough to consumers is likely to be modest.

The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsula communities because of the unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.