Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to learn from the experience of other countries in managing fluctuations in prisoner numbers.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We are not the first country to face acute pressures in prison capacity. As a matter of course, the MoJ engages with international partners at both a ministerial and official level. Recently, we had the opportunity to meet with senior officials from New York City’s Department of Corrections to understand how they are addressing their own capacity challenges. This year, we have also strengthened relationships with countries across Europe and the rest of the world to explore innovations in respective prison estates, technology and legislation. This approach will continue moving forward.
My officials are also engaging in regular discussions with international partners to share information on managing high prison capacity.
We have announced that we will legislate as part of the Criminal Justice Bill to create the powers necessary to transfer prisoners overseas for the purposes of detaining them in a rented prison in future. This decision was informed by consideration of other countries, including the experience of Norway renting prison space from the Netherlands from 2015-2018 to manage an acute rise in prison population. Belgium has also previously rented prison spaces from the Netherlands to alleviate pressure on their prison capacity.
We continue to look at every measure to best manage fluctuations in prison numbers including observing best practice in foreign countries.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) make an assessment of the likelihood of conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, (b) tackle the risks of material support for armed groups within Ethiopia from neighbouring states and c) support the African Union on these issues.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We continue to engage the Ethiopian government on peace within the country and in the region. On 27 October, the British Ambassador to Ethiopia told Ethiopia's national security advisor that Red Sea port access should not be pursued by aggression. To mark the one year anniversary of the Pretoria peace deal, the British Embassy Addis Ababa coordinated a joint statement with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, which called for further progress on implementation, including the full withdrawal of Eritrean and non-government forces from Ethiopia. The UK is also contributing funding to the African Union's Monitoring, Compliance and Verification Mechanism to support implementation, and we continue to press the government of Ethiopia, and all armed actors, to resolve their disputes through inclusive dialogue.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help music centres to recruit young musicians from Europe for training in the UK.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport works closely with Arts Council England and others across the sector to understand the opportunities and challenges facing both inbound and outbound touring musicians. The Government is committed to supporting touring artists and the wider music industry to adapt to new arrangements following our departure from the EU. We have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to clarify what creative workers need to do, noting that the vast majority of EU Member States — including the biggest touring markets such as Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands — have confirmed that they offer visa- and work permit-free routes for some short-term touring activities. The Government has also launched an Export Support Service through which UK businesses, including touring professionals, can access advice and guidance.
Arts Council England supports the 4 Nations International Fund, which assists those working in the arts and creative industries across the UK, together with their counterparts in Europe and beyond. Bilateral programmes, such as Cultural Bridge, which helps arts practitioners from the UK and Germany work together, as well as partnerships with the Arts Councils of Norway and Denmark on the International Touring and Environmental Fund, provide further assistance to musicians and music organisations.
Arts Council England supports a range of other international activity, including through the Developing Your Creative Practice Programme, the National Lottery Project Grants, and through National Portfolio Organisations — such as the National Centre for Early Music, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Serious/London Jazz Festival, and Wigmore Hall — all of which enable mobility and exchange for young artists across Europe.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK Border Force staff have been posted to (a) Belgium, (b) Germany, (c) the Netherlands and (d) France in each of the last five years.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide figures of how many staff have worked or are currently working at overseas deployments.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate overseas staff resourcing deployments are maintained.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the quantities of waste exported in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022, broken down by receiving country.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The top ten waste types exported from the UK in 2020, 2021 and 2022, alongside the top ten destinations for those waste types, are represented in the three tables below. The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it in full would incur disproportionate costs.
This dataset has been obtained from information provided by exporters to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs. This data is publicly available at https://www.uktradeinfo.com/ .
2020 | |||
Rank | Waste type | Waste exported (KT) | Top destination country (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %) |
1 | Iron & steel waste and scrap | 6,826 | Turkey (2,394KT; 35.1%); Pakistan (997KT; 14.6%); Egypt (742KT; 10.9%); Bangladesh (205KT; 3.0%); Saudi Arabia (173KT; 2.5%) |
2 | Paper and paperboard waste | 3,780 | India (979KT; 22.8%); Thailand (561KT; 13.0%); Turkey (491KT; 11.4%); Netherlands (474KT; 11.0%); Malaysia (401KT; 9.3%) |
3 | Plastic waste and scrap | 537 | Turkey (210KT; 39.0%); Malaysia (65KT; 12.2%); Poland (38KT; 7.0%); Netherlands (38KT; 7.0%); Spain (31KT; 5.8%) |
4 | Aluminium waste and scrap | 436 | India (122KT;27.8%); China (76KT; 17.4%); Thailand (18KT; 4.1%); Republic of Korea (34KT; 7.8KT); Italy (30KT; 6.9%) |
5 | Glass cullet waste | 298 | Portugal (83KT; 27.2%); Belgium (83KT; 27.2%); Netherlands (16KT; 5.3%); Spain (15KT; 5.2%); confidential country (13KT; 4.2%) |
6 | Worn clothing and textiles | 281 | Ghana (57KT; 20.4%); Pakistan (42KT; 15.1%); United Arab Emirates (34KT; 12.1%); Ukraine (26KT; 9.2%); Poland (24KT; 8.5%) |
7 | Residual products of the chemical or allied industries | 181 | Norway (151KT; 83.5%); Netherlands (22KT; 12.0%); Germany (8KT; 4.4%); New Caledonia (0.04KT; 0.02%); Canada (0.02KT; 0.01%) |
8 | Rubber waste | 138 | India (113KT; 81.6%); Pakistan (11KT; 7.6%); Japan (8KT; 6.0%); Netherlands (2KT;1.6%); France (1KT; 0.6%) |
9 | Animal waste | 108 | Ireland (36KT; 33.5%); France (23KT; 21.0%); Netherlands (17KT; 15.4%); Germany (13KT; 11.7%); Bulgaria (9KT; 8.1%) |
10 | Residues of starch manufacture and similar | 76 | Ireland (62KT; 81.9%); Denmark (8KT; 10.8%); Spain (4KT; 4.7%); Netherlands (2KT; 2.1%); Philippines (0.3KT; 0.4%) |
11 | Residues from food industry (vegetable waste) | 26 | Ireland (26KT; 98.5%); Qatar (0.1KT; 0.3%); Netherlands (0.1KT; 0.3%); Norway (0.1KT; 0.2%); France (0.02KT; 0.1%) |
2021 | |||
Rank | Waste type | Waste exported (KT) | Top destination country (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %) |
1 | Iron & steel waste and scrap | 8,595 | Turkey (2,345KT; 27.3%); Egypt (1,491KT; 17.3%); Bangladesh (675KT; 7.9%); Italy (496KT; 5.8%); United States of America (285KT; 3.3%) |
2 | Paper and paperboard waste | 4,298 | India (979KT; 22.8%); Thailand (561KT; 13.0%); Turkey (491KT; 11.4%); Netherlands (474KT; 11.0%); Malaysia (401KT; 9.3%) |
3 | Residual products of the chemical or allied industries | 1,497 | Sweden (617KT; 41.2%); Netherlands (346KT; 23.1%); Germany (106KT; 7.1%); Cyprus (104KT; 7.0%); Norway (99KT; 6.6%) |
4 | Aluminium waste and scrap | 560 | India (174KT; 31.2%); Hong Kong (43KT; 7.6%); Thailand (32KT; 5.8%); Republic of Korea (30KT; 5.4%); Switzerland (28KT; 5.0%) |
5 | Plastic scrap and waste | 468 | Turkey (123KT; 26.2%); Netherlands (101KT; 21.6%); Poland (52KT; 11.1%); Spain (37KT; 7.9%); Italy (18KT; 3.9%) |
6 | Glass cullet waste | 367 | Portugal (185KT; 50.4%); Belgium (72KT; 19.6%); Netherlands (48KT; 13.2%); Spain (33KT; 8.9%); Germany (11KT; 2.9%) |
7 | Worn clothing and textiles | 358 | Ghana (63KT; 17.7%); Pakistan (49KT; 13.7%); Ukraine (46KT; 12.9%); United Arab Emirates (42KT; 11.7%); Poland (41KT; 11.6%) |
8 | Rubber waste | 296 | India (194KT; 65.4%); Turkey (61KT; 20.4%); Portugal (13KT; 4.3%); Pakistan (10KT; 3.2%); Morocco (5KT; 1.7%) |
9 | Slag, ash and residues containing metals (excl. those from the manufacture of iron or steel) | 99 | Belgium (32KT; 32.1%); Norway (22KT; 22.1%); Netherlands (21KT; 21.4%); Germany (12KT; 12.2%); Canada (8KT; 8.0%) |
10 | Mineral fuels | 86 | Denmark (58KT; 67.6%); Greece (8KT; 9.2%); France (7KT; 8.3%); Belgium (6KT; 6.8%); Ireland (3KT; 3.4%) |
2022 | |||
Rank | Waste type | Waste exported (KT) | Top destination country (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %) |
1 | Iron & steel waste and scrap | 8,241 | Turkey (1,840KT; 22.3%); Egypt (1,396KT; 16.9%); India (1,241KT; 15.1%); Bangladesh (730KT; 8.9%); Italy (290KT; 3.5%) |
2 | Paper and paperboard waste | 4,087 | India (1,124KT; 27.5%); Vietnam (525KT; 12.8%); Netherlands (454KT; 11.1%); Turkey (376KT; 9.2%); Malaysia (363KT; 8.9%) |
3 | Residual products of the chemical or allied industries | 1,569 | Sweden (709KT; 45.2%); Netherlands (365KT; 23.3%); Norway (101KT; 6.4%); Denmark (89KT; 5.7%); Cyprus (36KT; 2.3%) |
4 | Aluminium waste and scrap | 632 | India (213KT; 33.6%); Hong Kong (98KT; 15.5%); Germany (54KT; 8.5%); Thailand (41KT; 6.4%); Pakistan (20KT; 3.1%) |
5 | Plastic waste and scrap | 483 | Netherlands (120KT; 24.8KT); Turkey (88KT; 18.3%); Belgum (38KT; 7.9%); Poland (31KT; 6.4%); Spain (23KT; 4.7%) |
6 | Glass cullet waste | 418 | Portugal (222KT; 53%); Netherlands (67KT; 15.9%); Belgium (59KT; 14.0%); Spain (25KT; 5.9%); Italy (19KT; 4.5%) |
7 | Worn clothing and textiles | 418 | United Arab Emirates (75KT; 18.1%); Ghana (53KT; 12.6%); Pakistan (52KT; 12.4%); Poland (51KT; 12.3%); Ukraine (37KT; 8.8%) |
8 | Rubber waste | 395 | India (297KT; 75.2%); Turkey (43KT; 10.9%); Pakistan (10KT; 2.6%); Portugal (8KT; 1.9%); Denmark (6KT; 1.4%) |
9 | Copper waste and scrap | 253 | China (62KT; 24.5%); India (38KT; 14.9%); Germany (35KT; 13.9%); Japan (11KT; 4.2%); France (11KT; 4.2%) |
10 | Mineral fuels | 118 | Denmark (94KT; 79.6%); Finland (7KT; 5.6%); France (7KT; 5.6%); Ireland (4KT; 3.4%); Ireland (4KT; 3.4%); Belgium (4KT; 3.0%) |
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer on 16 October 2023 to Question 199996 on Motorways: Speed Limits, on what (a) basis and (b) authority National Highways conducted a trial without scientific advice to support a trial being beneficial to the environment and in reducing emissions.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
National Highways have a legal duty to achieve compliance of NO2 levels on their roads in the shortest possible time. Part of this duty was to review new technology and research.
The speed trial was one of these pieces of research undertaken by experts from Connected Places Catapult, supported by consultation and joint working with leading experts in emission measurements and modelling at TNO in the Netherlands between May 2017 and January 2019, and TU Graz in Austria.
Findings of National Highways’ research have been presented to the Dispersion Modellers User Group (DMUG) and ITS(UK) Smart Environment Interest Group and is published on National Highways’ website.
The speed trial implemented in 2021 was a way to understand if this research would work in real world conditions. The complex analysis of all the data collected on the M1 trial is currently being analysed and a report on the conclusions of the M1 speed trial will be published shortly.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to which (a) country and (b) port each (i) freight and (ii) passenger ferry route runs from the UK to the (A) EU and (B) European Economic Area; and which commercial operating company serves each route.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what designated maritime routes into and out of the United Kingdom have been established on what dates since the UK left the European Union.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what designated maritime routes into and out of the United Kingdom are in development.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the designated maritime routes are between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech