Jen Craft

I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. I will come on to talk at length about the charitable contribution made by organisations such as the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest. I am familiar with its work in her constituency and in mine. I do not think we can overstate the contribution that organisation makes to the welfare of seafarers, and to maintaining the shipping industry as a whole. Mental health among crews is at a low and, tragically, suicide rates are higher among seafarers than among the wider population. We must do a much better job of supporting seafarers and ensure that they receive the same support as our domestic workforce. The Government have a key role to play in that. The Employment Rights Bill is a critical step, paving the way for a legally binding seafarers’ charter that will help to root out poor practice in the industry. It aims to limit maximum periods of work at sea, improve safety training and strengthen laws around mandatory rest. Importantly, the Bill also combats unacceptable fire-and-rehire cycles. Trade unions such as the RMT have shone a light on these issues and stood up for British workers when they have been at the sharp end of the practice in the past. The challenge now is to ensure that our interventions make a real difference for workers. If international partners are able to sidestep their obligations, UK nationals will lose out. We must not allow a situation in which the welfare and pay protections afforded to British seafarers put them at a competitive disadvantage. It is encouraging to see our Government working to combat the issues, teaming up with signatories to the international maritime convention to drive up standards together. Tackling abuse and malpractice in the seafarer sector will, however, require a co-ordinated international approach. I would welcome any update from the Minister on engagement with our international partners to that effect. Next year, new amendments to the international maritime convention come into force, including measures to strengthen repatriation rights. They will be critical for seafarers. Across the world, ship owners who face legal disputes or financial challenges are abandoning vessels in ports. Crew are left without pay, food or access to vital medical equipment. The issue has grown increasingly severe, and 2024 was the worst year on record, with more than 2,000 seafarers left to fend for themselves. Many have family at home who rely on their income. When a ship is abandoned, whole communities suffer. The issue is more common abroad, but the UK has been affected on several occasions. Even when vessels are not abandoned, seafarers may find themselves stuck for weeks following ship arrests. This has happened several times in my constituency, with a notable incident at Purfleet-on-Thames last year that also highlighted why port-side support services are so important. Several charities do excellent work in this space, including the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board. I offer my thanks for their tireless efforts, and for the tireless work of their volunteers—especially those who serve in my constituency at the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest in Tilbury. I am incredibly impressed by their support for seafarers who come into port. They offer a brilliant service, including port transport, free wi-fi and fresh food. They also run a bar, host social events and assist with safeguarding concerns when necessary. The latest Seafarers Rest project, wrapping 3,000 Christmas presents for seafarers, is well under way. I was pleased to lend a hand last month. Every seafarer receives either a hat, scarf or pair of mittens; SIM cards so that they can contact their family; a little bit extra and a chocolate bar. Importantly, they all receive a handwritten card thanking them for their efforts, on behalf of the people who are on the receiving end of all their hard work. For many people, this is the only Christmas present they will get. While I was at the Seafarers Rest, one of the volunteers shared the story of a sea captain who came to visit. He was 17 the first time he went to sea, and he spent Christmas away from home. He was Norwegian, and he went to a similar set-up—not in this country but abroad—and was given a Christmas present. He still remembers it and still has the woolly hat that someone, somewhere knitted for him. He said it meant the world and lifted his spirits. So the efforts the volunteers put in do not go unnoticed, and we should all be grateful for what they do. Unfortunately, such support is not in place across the country. Facilities like the Queen Victoria Seafarers Rest in my patch exist at only about 40% of all UK ports. Where services are available, many face financial uncertainty. Meeting their running costs can be a challenge, with most sites needing £170 a day to keep the doors open. Their funding comes from a variety of sources: funds from the Government, donations from shipping companies or port authorities, and fundraising efforts by the centres themselves. Some welfare centres have strong partnerships with the local port, but that is not the case across the board. In practice, voluntary organisations bear most of the financial burden for welfare support, relying on fundraising efforts to fill the financial shortfall and subsidise the costs that should fall to shipping companies to care for their own workforce. There are long-term solutions that could be explored. A small opt-out levy charged to vessels entering UK ports could be a game changer. Just £50 per visit would make a significant difference. To put it in perspective, the cost of bringing a large ship into port often exceeds £100,000, so a small £50 donation would represent only a fraction of that cost. Throughout the country, 25 ports have already implemented similar schemes, with varying levels of success. Levies have been most effective where port owners communicate with shipping companies, emphasising the importance of independent welfare support. Humber port, for example, raised over £72,000 last year by being proactive with its levy system. However, in ports where intervention is more limited, ships that often pay £100,000 or more in fees will regularly refuse to make a £25 donation. Currently, the total income generated from levies represents only 3% to 4% of the funds that UK charities require. I urge the Government to look into the idea and to work with ports and shipping companies to explore how to scale up schemes across the country. Several other countries, including France, Germany and New Zealand, already have successful models in place. I encourage Members with significant ports in their constituencies to contact the local port authority to ask whether they would consider implementing an opt-out levy. For many vehicles, £50 represents less than 0.03% of docking costs. A levy would create a reliable, long-term funding stream for seafarers’ welfare. It would make a huge difference and give the organisations that work tirelessly to support them financial security into the future. The Government are making historic progress on seafarers’ welfare, but it is vital that we continue to build on that momentum in ports and at sea. I look forward to the implementation of the mandatory seafarers’ charter and the Employment Rights Bill, which will deliver significant change, but we can go further in supporting the seafaring community, whose needs are often overlooked. The Government have a key role to play, working with ports, shipping companies, trade unions and international partners to drive better employment standards and improve welfare support. We must all remember what seafarers do for our country: their contribution is invaluable and cannot be overlooked.