APPLICATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE FOR SEAFARERS

That this House supports the application and enforcement of National Minimum Wage (NMW) pay rates for seafarers in the UK shipping industry; notes that the Legal Working Group on Seafarers and the NMW, including maritime trade unions and Government, completed its work on 1 November 2017; looks forward to the Group's recommendations; welcomes the Shipping Minister's decision to reconvene the Group and its recommendation for enforceable legislation that equalises seafarers' NMW rights on UK Continental Shelf routes with those of land based transport workers; further notes the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's responsibility for NMW policy, including application and enforcement by HM Revenue and Customs; further supports the RMT's call for an end to the exploitation of foreign ratings in the UK shipping industry; and calls on the Government to take immediate legislative steps on receipt of the Legal Working Group's recommendation, ahead of the new NMW rates effective from1 April 2018.