Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the maritime industry

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the maritime industry

The normal crew assembles for debates on this subject over the years. However, I must apologise because one of our crew is missing: my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Gwyn Prosser) is on parliamentary business abroad. I declare an interest as the chair of the RMT parliamentary group and...

The normal crew assembles for debates on this subject over the years. However, I must apologise because one of our crew is missing: my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Gwyn Prosser) is on parliamentary business abroad. I declare an interest as the chair of the RMT parliamentary group and...

I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing the debate, because it is an important subject. I welcome her to the select band of people who take an interest in shipping matters from a constituency point of view. I have taken...

I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing the debate, because it is an important subject. I welcome her to the select band of people who take an interest in shipping matters from a constituency point of view. I have taken...

I, too, add my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing this important debate. I welcome the opportunity to talk about recent disputes with Irish Ferries at the end of 2005, which my hon. Friend mentioned. The dispute is now over,...

I, too, add my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing this important debate. I welcome the opportunity to talk about recent disputes with Irish Ferries at the end of 2005, which my hon. Friend mentioned. The dispute is now over,...

: The hon. Lady is right. The environmental arguments for putting more freight on to the sea are compelling. With the south of England's substantial amount of freight transport, it is probably the worst place for freight to enter. If UK plc does not get its act together soon, other...

: The hon. Lady is right. The environmental arguments for putting more freight on to the sea are compelling. With the south of England's substantial amount of freight transport, it is probably the worst place for freight to enter. If UK plc does not get its act together soon, other...

: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that there is a strong environmental case for placing ports not only in the south of England, but in other parts of the country? There is a particular need in the north of England and in Scotland for freight not to enter the country...

: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that there is a strong environmental case for placing ports not only in the south of England, but in other parts of the country? There is a particular need in the north of England and in Scotland for freight not to enter the country...

: Did the hon. Gentleman read the article in the NUMAST Telegraph last year or the year before which made the valid point that we would not be able to raise the Falklands taskforce again in an emergency?

: Did the hon. Gentleman read the article in the NUMAST Telegraph last year or the year before which made the valid point that we would not be able to raise the Falklands taskforce again in an emergency?

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing the debate and on a well informed and impassioned speech. The red ensign now flies over 3 per cent. of the world's merchant shipping, a far cry from the days when we had 40 per...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing the debate and on a well informed and impassioned speech. The red ensign now flies over 3 per cent. of the world's merchant shipping, a far cry from the days when we had 40 per...

: I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing this debate and on joining the small, select band of MPs who take maritime issues seriously. I wish that that band was much larger, and that we had these debates more often....

: I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on securing this debate and on joining the small, select band of MPs who take maritime issues seriously. I wish that that band was much larger, and that we had these debates more often....

: The hon. Gentleman anticipates my next point. Today, we would be incapable of fighting an operation such as the Falklands war, at least with the support of British merchant ships. In 1982, 985 ships of more than 500 gross tonnes were owned and registered in the UK. Today, the...

: The hon. Gentleman anticipates my next point. Today, we would be incapable of fighting an operation such as the Falklands war, at least with the support of British merchant ships. In 1982, 985 ships of more than 500 gross tonnes were owned and registered in the UK. Today, the...

: The commitment was about the implementation of the EU directive within that time.

: The commitment was about the implementation of the EU directive within that time.

My hon. Friend is right to list the many improvements that have been made in the pay and conditions of millions of British workers. The tonnage tax regime was indeed a brave attempt to improve employment and training in the maritime industry, but does she agree that the next and...

My hon. Friend is right to list the many improvements that have been made in the pay and conditions of millions of British workers. The tonnage tax regime was indeed a brave attempt to improve employment and training in the maritime industry, but does she agree that the next and...

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the fundamental issues relating to the Government's support for the maritime industry, the rights and responsibilities of employers in the industry and the employment rights of those who work in it. The Government have a proud record in many areas. We have...

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the fundamental issues relating to the Government's support for the maritime industry, the rights and responsibilities of employers in the industry and the employment rights of those who work in it. The Government have a proud record in many areas. We have...

: I shall not comment specifically on the issue of national insurance contributions. I am aware of that development, and I think it unfortunate that the legal framework within which Caledonian MacBrayne is forced to operate is leading to it having to use devices of that nature simply to try...

: I shall not comment specifically on the issue of national insurance contributions. I am aware of that development, and I think it unfortunate that the legal framework within which Caledonian MacBrayne is forced to operate is leading to it having to use devices of that nature simply to try...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate and on the way in which she is presenting her case. As I, too, have islands in my constituency, I share her concern about CalMac. The Government could help by accepting the recommendation of the shipping working group that employers' national...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate and on the way in which she is presenting her case. As I, too, have islands in my constituency, I share her concern about CalMac. The Government could help by accepting the recommendation of the shipping working group that employers' national...

: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for making that point, and I hope to make the same point during my speech. Many of the shipping working group's recommendations were taken up, and many of the policies that the Government adopted have been successful for the shipping industry. The...

: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for making that point, and I hope to make the same point during my speech. Many of the shipping working group's recommendations were taken up, and many of the policies that the Government adopted have been successful for the shipping industry. The...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on obtaining the debate. She made a very good case. She spoke of the proud record of the Government, but she also made a powerful case for the need further to improve the prospects of seafarers....

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on obtaining the debate. She made a very good case. She spoke of the proud record of the Government, but she also made a powerful case for the need further to improve the prospects of seafarers....

: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. In the alphabet soup of ministerial responsibilities, DEFRA plays an important role. It has launched consultation on the draft Marine Bill, which is perhaps not as broad as its title would suggest. A range of people are interested. The breaking-up of ships has...

: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. In the alphabet soup of ministerial responsibilities, DEFRA plays an important role. It has launched consultation on the draft Marine Bill, which is perhaps not as broad as its title would suggest. A range of people are interested. The breaking-up of ships has...

: I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman was at the end of his list, but I would like him to incorporate the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which has a distinct and significant interest in the recycling and breaking of ships at the end of their...

: I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman was at the end of his list, but I would like him to incorporate the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which has a distinct and significant interest in the recycling and breaking of ships at the end of their...

First, I congratulate the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on the thorough way in which she introduced the debate. When preparing for the debate, I wondered who the Minister would be, and which Department would be represented. The last time that I participated in a debate...

First, I congratulate the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark) on the thorough way in which she introduced the debate. When preparing for the debate, I wondered who the Minister would be, and which Department would be represented. The last time that I participated in a debate...