No guidance has been issued specifically to the commercial offshore transport sector industry. However, the sector is covered by the wider guidance published by Public Health England, including on social distancing and on the use of personal protective equipment.

In addition, as is the case with other sectors, all non-essential services must stop, including training. An exception would be made if the service provider offers essential or emergency services, including search and rescue, medical, firefighting or key personnel movement – during which the usual social distancing guidelines should apply where possible.

The government is not planning to make an assessment focusing specifically on offshore helicopter operators in the North Sea. However, the government will consider the offshore helicopter sector as part of its wider work on how it can best support the aviation sector and ensure it remains resilient.

Apprenticeship policy is a matter for the Department for Education. The statistics for apprenticeship numbers are published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships#apprenticeship-starts-and-achievements

There were 344 maritime apprenticeship starts in 2018-19. No assessment has been made of the annual demand for seafarers in the offshore energy sector.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is committed to making North Sea helicopter flying as safe as possible and the CAA’s Safety review of offshore public transport helicopter operations in support of the exploitation of oil and gas resulted in wide ranging recommendations and actions to improve offshore helicopter safety standards.

A number of these recommendations and actions related to the certification of new helicopter designs, which is the responsibility of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). None of the recommendations specifically required existing helicopters to be upgraded.

One action from the safety review tasked the CAA to promote and support the implementation of the results of research into helicopter terrain awareness warning systems. This led to some helicopters being retrofitted in 2019, so that existing equipment specifically offers warnings for the offshore operating environment. This work is ongoing.

The CAA published a comprehensive review into offshore helicopter safety in 2014, which put forward recommendations and actions to helicopter operators and the oil and gas industry. These have led to the introduction of a number of significant measures to increase the safety standards of offshore helicopter flights. The changes were welcomed by both the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and the British Airline Pilots Association.

No recommendations were made for the Department in this report. However, the CAA and the Department will continue to monitor the safety of helicopter operations.

Workers within the offshore oil and gas industry in internal or territorial waters, or working regarding exploitation of the continental shelf, are entitled to the same protections as UK workers. This includes receiving the National Minimum Wage for all their work on installation, construction and maintenance, regardless of nationality or where they ordinarily work. As with all other workers, their terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Once agreed they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.

Agency workers’ rights conferred by the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 are self-enforced at an Employment Tribunal. The enforcement body for the recruitment sector, the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS), investigates every relevant complaint that falls under its remit as set out in the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and has a strong track record in upholding the rights of agency workers.

Workers within the offshore oil and gas industry in internal or territorial waters, or working regarding exploitation of the continental shelf, are entitled to the same protections as UK workers. This includes receiving the National Minimum Wage for all their work on installation, construction and maintenance, regardless of nationality or where they ordinarily work. As with all other workers, their terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Once agreed they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.

Agency workers’ rights conferred by the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 are self-enforced at an Employment Tribunal. The enforcement body for the recruitment sector, the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS), investigates every relevant complaint that falls under its remit as set out in the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and has a strong track record in upholding the rights of agency workers.

While not primarily a scientific body, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) frequently undertakes some level of scientific analysis, drawing on external data as well as internal data, and external and internal expertise. Recent examples include:

• Geophysical seismic data release packages (2015 & 2016)
• 21^st Century Roadmap projects (ongoing)
• British Geological Survey shale reports (2014)
• East Midlands coal mining seismicity (2017)
• The separation of the Bowland-Hodder shale unit from coal mining activity in the East Midlands (2018)
• Offshore geochemical database (planned summer 2019)
• Reservoir engineering analyses of production data and well test data (ongoing)
• Laboratory analyses of oil and gas fluid properties (ongoing),

This Government is committed to cracking down on employers who fail to pay the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW). In the last 3 years we have almost doubled HMRC’s budget to enforce the NMW from £13.2 million to a record £26.3 million.

Workers who ordinarily work in the UK are entitled to minimum wage for all of their work, including, for example, for work on ships located outside the UK servicing offshore installations. Furthermore, workers on UK registered ships are entitled to minimum wage for all their work on the ship wherever it is located, unless they work entirely outside the UK or are not ordinarily resident in the UK.

NMW issues fall within the portfolio of Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility, Kelly Tolhurst, who most recently met directly with HMRC officials on Monday 14^th January.

BEIS officials meet regularly with their HMRC colleagues through an established governance structure, to monitor progress and discuss current and emerging risks of non-compliance with the NMW.

Blacklisting is completely unacceptable and has no place in modern employment relations. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 made it unlawful for an individual or organisation to compile, sell or make use of a blacklist of trade union members or those who have taken part in trade union activities.

Any individual or trade union who believes they have been the victim of blacklisting can enforce their rights under the regulations through an employment tribunal or the county court.

The 2010 blacklisting regulations are reinforced by powers in the Data Protection Act 2018, protecting use of personal data, including information on trade union membership and sensitive personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates use of personal data and investigates breaches of the Data Protection Act 2018. It has the power to take enforcement action, including searching premises, issuing enforcement notices and imposing fines for serious breaches.

The Information Commissioner will shortly open a call for evidence on the implications of modern employment practices in recruitment and selection, and the obligations of employers. If blacklisting is occurring, it should bring it to light. There’s no need to wait for that enquiry to begin however, anyone with evidence should present it to the Information Commissioner’s Office now.

Workers who ordinarily work in the UK are entitled to minimum wage for all of their work, including, for example, for work on ships located outside the UK servicing offshore installations. Furthermore, workers on UK registered ships are entitled to minimum wage for all their work on the ship wherever it is located, unless they work entirely outside the UK or are not ordinarily resident in the UK.

This Government takes minimum wage enforcement seriously and is committed to ensuring all employers pay their workers correctly. We continue to invest heavily in minimum wage enforcement, increasing the budget to over £25 million for 2018/19, up from £13 million in 2015/16. In addition to following up on every worker complaint received, HMRC undertake proactive investigations and conduct awareness raising activities amongst both employers and workers.

Last year, HMRC identified record arrears of £15.6 million, for over 200,000 workers.