Category: Transportation

Katherine Fletcher – 2022 Statement on Doncaster Sheffield Airport

The statement made by Katherine Fletcher, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, in the House of Commons on 24 October 2022.

Following the strategic review of the airport announced in July this year, the Government are incredibly disappointed that Peel Group has taken the difficult decision to announce the potential closure of Doncaster Sheffield airport. While it was a commercial decision made by the owners of the airport, I fully appreciate the impact it has had not only on passengers who use the airport, including the constituents represented by many hon. Members in the South Yorkshire region, but on those businesses, organisations and people who work at the airport and within the supply chain.

As I know from growing up underneath the flightpath of Manchester airport, regional airports are key in serving our local communities, supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a key gateway to international opportunities. That is why during the pandemic the Government supported airports through schemes such as the airport and ground operations support scheme, through which Doncaster Sheffield airport was able to access grant funding.

I need to be clear that, while the UK Government support airports, they do not own or operate them. However, devolved Administrations, local and combined authorities are frequently shareholders in airports that serve their communities, as is the case with Manchester Airports Group, Birmingham airport, London Luton airport and, most recently, Teesside International. The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract airlines and passengers. We will continue to support all parties to seek a commercial or local solution.

Since the announcement by Peel Group on the airport’s future on 13 July, the Government have been actively working with local stakeholders to encourage a future for aviation at the site. My hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) and the Department for Transport have met Peel, and I understand that the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Doncaster Council have been working during the review to explore options for a locally led solution. The local authorities have now written to Peel Group to pass on the details of those who are interested in potential options to invest in the airport, and I understand that Peel has begun to engage with those parties.

The aviation Minister, Baroness Vere, met Peel on 19 October and strongly encouraged it to look seriously at any commercial interest. She has also been proactively encouraging Peel Group to strongly consider the local and combined authorities’ offers of bridging support if it requires extra time to take forward any discussions with investors.

The Government remain engaged and we look forward to seeing further progress. The House has today highlighted the importance of Doncaster, and I will convey the strength of feeling among Members present to Baroness Vere as she continues her work. I call on Peel Group to continue to work with stakeholders to find a commercial solution or to minimise the impact of its review of the airport.

Stephanie Peacock

Doncaster Sheffield airport is an important regional economic asset with thousands of jobs dependent on it. Despite Peel Group’s announcement of its closure, local leaders have made every effort to work with the group and press the Government to secure the airport’s future. The South Yorkshire Mayor made Peel Group an offer of public money to keep the airport running, and local leaders have helped to find three potential investors who are seriously interested in keeping the airport operational, but those efforts have met resistance at every turn. Having already run the airport down, Peel Group is still refusing to confirm whether it is willing to suspend its closure, or whether it is even in a position to sell Doncaster Sheffield Airport Ltd.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State, who could not even be bothered to turn up today, will not engage with interested parties and is refusing to invoke powers such as those in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to protect the airport. She refused three times on the Floor of the House to meet local leaders and is yet to respond to a petition signed by more than 125,000 people, despite assurances from the outgoing Prime Minister that the Secretary of State would address the issue “immediately” and “protect the airport”. Actions speak louder than words. Having created a climate of uncertainty, neither Peel Group nor the Government are using the powers and influence they have to explore every option to ensure the airport’s future. That is not good enough—for workers, for businesses, or for all of us who rely on the emergency services stationed at the airport.

I thank Doncaster Council, the South Yorkshire Mayor, my right hon. Friends the Members for Doncaster Central (Dame Rosie Winterton) and for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband), and my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Louise Haigh). Local leaders want the Government to work with us rather than taking a hands-off approach. Potential investors in the airport need certainty in the next 24 hours. It is imperative that Ministers step up, take action and use their powers to do everything they can to save Doncaster Sheffield airport.

Katherine Fletcher

The hon. Lady speaks with passion and partisanship in not mentioning my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher). I think she is a little late to the party; even a cursory glance at my hon. Friend’s social media feed will show that he is on day 105 of his campaign to save Doncaster airport. He has met a series of different parties, and it is slightly beneath the hon. Lady not to recognise his efforts to protect his local community.

Baroness Vere, the aviation Minister, met Peel on 19 October, and it assures her that it is open to meeting potential investors. The Secretary of State has met Peel twice. The implication that we are not doing everything to find a solution for regional airports, which we recognise are incredibly important, is not correct.

I am sure that the Civil Contingencies Act will come up in other questions, so let me allude to it briefly. The Civil Contingencies Act is for absolute emergencies only. Even one of the operators at the airport has written to the Prime Minister to explain that it can still find contingency efforts elsewhere, so the threshold for the last Labour Government’s legislation has nowhere near been met.

25/10/2022
Gavin Newlands – 2022 Speech on HQ for Great British Railways

The speech made by Gavin Newlands, the SNP spokesperson on transport, in the House of Commons on 24 October 2022.

The rail industry and GBR are in stasis, and there is little evidence of progress coming from the Department for Transport. Six months ago, the previous Secretary of State promised we “would not be disappointed” with the legislation to create GBR, but I am feeling distinctly underwhelmed. The Williams review promised that GBR will

“take a whole-system view, allowing it to make choices and decisions more effectively. It will enable the railways to be run as a public service”.

That vision lies in tatters for now. We know that long-term thinking and planning are key, but instead we have a piecemeal, stop-start process that will take years, if not decades, to achieve real change in a key part of our national infrastructure.

When can we expect anybody, GBR or otherwise, to take a whole-system view of rail in this country? With ScotRail back in public ownership, there is one part of the UK where the railways are run as a public service. Will the Minister use the transport mini-Bill to devolve Network Rail to Scotland, to ensure that a fully integrated and fully publicly owned railway can be run somewhere in the UK?

Kevin Foster

I can understand why not having an integrated rail network across Great Britain is a particular priority for the Scottish National party. It clearly is a priority for this UK Government. We will not be looking to devolve responsibility for rail infrastructure, not least because the SNP’s main idea at the moment seems to be stopping the trains for passport control at the border.

On the wider pitch, we are determined to make a difference with our railways. We are seeing real innovation, and I am sure the hon. Gentleman will have looked at, for example, the experience of Lumo trains from Edinburgh to London. Lumo is an open-access operator that is pulling traffic away from air and on to rail, which is exactly what we want to see. We will get on with the many reforms we can make without primary legislation, but one of them will not be creating a disjointed rail network.

25/10/2022
Tan Dhesi – 2022 Speech on HQ for Great British Railways

The speech made by Tam Dhesi, the Shadow Rail Minister, in the House of Commons on 24 October 2022.

As usual, this Government are in chaos of their own making. We would not be standing here today if they were capable of making commitments and sticking to them. They are stopping a project in its tracks despite millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money already having been spent. They are asking towns and cities to invest precious time and money in their headquarters bids but completely mothballing the relevant legislation in any transport Bill within this parliamentary Session. They are showing a serious lack of ambition and long-term vision and leaving the whole of the rail industry in the lurch.

I asked the rail Minister about this very issue in the last Transport questions but was effectively fobbed off. We should not be surprised at that, considering the mess they have made of our railways. Last week 55 services on the TransPennine Express were cancelled in just one day, and two of our northern Mayors could not travel to Liverpool for a press briefing on train cancellations because of train cancellations. Avanti West Coast has slashed more than 220,000 seats per week, but despite this, one of the Transport Secretary’s first acts was to ensure that a lucrative contract extension was in place. As usual, the Tories are rewarding failure. People across our country are paying the price for a system that the Conservative party has already admitted must change but refuses to say how or when. The Conservatives promised at their party conference, with a straight face, to get Britain moving, yet all we have seen is stoppages, strikes and the managed decline of our railways, and now they are abandoning their flagship policy as a direct result of their aimless and distracted party. They are a shambolic Government with no plan and no ideas.

Will the Minister clarify the future of Great British Railways? Has it been stopped in its tracks? When will his Department get a grip on the railways and deliver a proper service for passengers across our country?

Kevin Foster

Luckily, I have already answered the hon. Gentleman’s first question. We have certainly not brought Great British Railways to a halt. Again, we said the location of its headquarters will be announced shortly. This has not been stopped, abandoned or any of the other things we are hearing from the Labour party. We are very clear that we want to look forward to a rail network that is seeing massive, almost unprecedented investment, and in which customers can look forward to better facilities and better services that deliver for their communities. I leave it to the hon. Gentleman to look back wistfully at British Rail.

25/10/2022
Kevin Foster – 2022 Statement on HQ for Great British Railways

The statement made by Kevin Foster, the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, in the House of Commons on 24 October 2022.

The case for rail modernisation is now stronger than when Keith Williams set out the plan for rail in 2021. Covid-19, recent macroeconomic events, industrial relations and financial challenges have increased the need for it. The railways are not meeting customers’ needs, with delays, unreliability and uncertainty exacerbated by the rail strikes. When people look at the rail sector, we need them to see a system that stands for reliability and sustainability, so it is clear that we have to change.

This Government will therefore deliver the most ambitious changes to our railways in a generation, and will deliver for the people who matter: our passengers, customers and taxpayers. Although we will not be introducing rail reform legislation during the current Session, due to limits on parliamentary time, we are committed to introducing the legislation necessary to create a guiding mind, Great British Railways, as soon as possible.

As many Members are aware, a competition was run to identify the location for the Great British Railways headquarters. I welcome the support of colleagues for the six shortlisted towns and cities, and I note that the hon. Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) has been vocal in her support for York to be the winner. I hope to be able to announce the successful location shortly—subject to other events outside the Chamber. Ahead of the legislation, we will continue to work with the Great British Railways transition team and the wider sector to push ahead with our ambitious modernisation programme to deliver real benefits for customers.

Reforming our railways means more reliable trains, faster journey times—in all, a modern, future-facing rail industry; a sector with an unswerving focus on meeting the needs of its customers, creating a simpler, better railway for communities across Britain. There will be a GBR at the heart of our rail network, with its headquarters located in one of our great railway communities. The details will be confirmed shortly, but our commitment to deliver is unchanged.

Rachael Maskell

I am grateful to you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question.

Following the publication for the House of the Williams-Shapps review, the Government announced in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022:

“Legislation will be introduced to modernise rail services and improve reliability for passengers”.

As part of this process, the then Transport Secretary launched a high-profile competition for the location of the headquarters outside London. Forty-two locations bid and six were shortlisted, including York, as part of the levelling-up agenda. Each location shortlisted hosted a ministerial visit over the summer of 2022, involving public sector, rail industry and community stakeholders. In parallel, the public participated in a public vote over their preferred destination. All this was at significant cost to local authorities. Last Wednesday, the Secretary of State shelved her plans for this Session. No written or oral statement has been made to the House until today.

Let me therefore ask the following questions. Why did the Secretary of State not have the courtesy to announce her U-turn on Great British Railways to the House? If the relocation of the new headquarters is to proceed, what will the process be, and if not, given that hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent by local authorities, how will the Secretary of State compensate shortlisted authorities? What was the result of the public vote? What are the reasons for shelving the plans for the future of Great British Railways in the current Session? How, in the interim, will the Secretary of State address the failure issues across the rail network that Great British Railways was to resolve, including contract failure on the west coast main line and elsewhere? What discussions has she had with the trade unions on abandoning her plans, and on the implications for the workforce across the rail sector? Is she now abandoning Williams-Shapps, levelling up, and any semblance of government? The Great British public deserve better.

Kevin Foster

I think it is worth pointing out that the comments referred to were made to a Select Committee of this House, the Transport Committee, and that the Secretary of State was therefore giving information in her role as Transport Secretary and keeping Members up to date. As I touched on in my initial answer, there will be a Great British Railways HQ located in one of our great railway communities. I am sorry to disappoint people, but I will not be announcing from the Dispatch Box today where that will be, but it is something that we are committed to doing. It has been inspiring to see the excitement about the competition; it shows what rail can bring to local communities. Certainly there will be a successful bidder, so to speak, and they will be announced in the not-too-distant future.

Yes, the Secretary of State has met the general secretaries of the leading trade unions involved in the rail sector, but that was not to discuss abandoning the plan, because we have not abandoned the plan. We are still taking forward a range of work to reform and modernise our railways, and there is plenty we can do, even in the absence of a Bill in the third Session. I am confident that Great British Railways will make a difference to our rail network. It would be tempting, in these interesting circumstances in which I come to the Dispatch Box, to make a raft of pledges on things I would quite like to do with the railways, but we are certainly conscious that we need to reform and move forward, and that is something that most people across the sector realise. There might be slightly different views about exactly how to go about that, but I am keen to see it taken forward to make the difference for our customers and communities, who deserve a rail network that delivers for them.

25/10/2022
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Statement on the Transport Strikes Bill

The statement made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 20 October 2022.

The Government are today introducing the Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill. This meets the Prime Minister’s commitment to introduce this Bill within her first 30 days of Parliament sitting and delivers on a commitment in the 2019 Conservative party manifesto.

The Bill paves the way for the introduction of minimum levels of service on transport services, like those already seen in other countries, including France and Spain. The Bill will ensure that specified transport services—which could include, for example, rail, tubes and buses—will not completely shut down when unions impose strikes. This Bill will balance the right to strike with ensuring commuters can get to their place of work and people can continue to make vital journeys to access education and healthcare during strikes.

The Bill sets out the legal framework for establishing minimum service levels. It will allow relevant employers and trade unions to negotiate and reach agreement between themselves on minimum service levels referred to as minimum service agreements (MSAs), provide for circumstances in which the MSA can be changed and include enforcement arrangements to ensure parties follow due process in their negotiations.

The Bill also provides for an independent determination process should employers and unions fail to reach agreement on an appropriate minimum service level after three months, whereby if an agreement has not been reached the Central Arbitration Committee will determine the minimum service level.

The Bill also includes a power for the Secretary of State to set interim minimum service levels by regulations which will apply where neither an MSA has been agreed nor an independent determination reached. These regulations will also be consulted upon and will need to be agreed by both Houses of Parliament before they are made. Under the Bill there will also have to be a minimum three-month gap between these regulations being made and their coming into force.

The specific details of how minimum service levels would apply to transport services will be set out in secondary legislation following appropriate consultation. A minimum service level would only be applied to an individual transport service once that secondary legislation has been agreed by Parliament.

The provisions of the Bill extend and apply to England, Wales and Scotland. The Bill’s provisions relate to the reserved matter of employment rights and duties and industrial relations, and the subject matter of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, and do not engage the legislative consent process.

21/10/2022
Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on Support from Londoners for ULEZ

The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 10 October 2022.

Air pollution in our city is contributing to children growing up with stunted lungs and older Londoners developing dementia.

The ULEZ has already made a big difference – reducing air pollution by nearly half in central London and helping us to tackle the climate emergency. It’s clear that Londoners now want the zone to be expanded given the immense harm air pollution is still causing in our city – from cancer to dementia. Expansion of the ULEZ would lead to five million more people being able to breathe cleaner, less polluted air.

In making my decision I will carefully consider all responses to the public consultation and Londoners’ views.

I don’t want us to miss out on any opportunities to protect Londoners from toxic air so that we can continue building a healthier, cleaner and greener London for everyone.

10/10/2022
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 U-Turn on Free Rail Travel for Veterans on Remembrance Day

The statement made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, on 9 October 2022.

I have ensured that the Rail Delivery Group has issued new guidance to confirm free travel for military and veterans for Remembrance Day.

To travel, just present your MoD ID card or evidence that you are a veteran, such as Veterans Railcard, to railway staff.

10/10/2022
David Shaw – 1987 Speech on the Channel Tunnel

The speech made by David Shaw, the then Conservative MP for Dover, in the House of Commons on 8 July 1987.

I, too, normally support the Government, because they stand for the rights of private individuals, but I am concerned that, in this matter, the rights of private individuals have been abused and that there has been a considerable rush to get the legislation through.

My hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) and I were not here during the last Parliament, but it seems that some strange things happened during the passage of the Channel Tunnel Bill. Indeed, the project has been promoted in a strange manner throughout. The second fund raising, Equity II required three telephone calls by the Governor of the Bank of England to each fund manager in order to raise the money.

The amendments that are the subject of the motion have not even been finally approved by the House of Lords, which seems another example of a lack of proper procedure. That worries me, because the Bill, though not yet considered by the Lords, has passed through the Commons, and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury said, many petitioners and would-be petitoners who wanted to joint the petition process were caught out by the fact that the 18 February deadline was not properly advertised. I had to spend all my time and resources to meet the deadline when I put in my petition. Hundreds of my constituents missed out on getting their petitions in. The Chairman of the House of Lords Committee made the specific point that he was not happy with the way in which the Government had behaved, and my constituents should not have been treated in this way.

I understand that the amendments will be referred to the Examiners of Petitions, but, as my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington said, they all relate to improper procedures. I wonder how the investing public, in September and October, will be asked to invest £700 million in a project that is founded on improper procedures. One wonders why there is such a rush to push the project forward. There are problems throughout it.

In the prospectus of Eurotunnel, dated 20 October 1986, the shuttle system was referred to in two paragraphs, but there was no reference in the appendices to the prospectus as to the engineering feasibility of the shuttle system, and whether or not it would work. That is yet another example of how the whole project is flawed from start to finish.

It has been said by the Government that no public money would be invested in the project, but the amendments are about roadworks, and it is inconceivable that public money should not be involved. That concerns me, because I understand that, recently, neither British Rail nor Eurotunnel would publish details of the agreement reached on 12 May concerning capacity use and the charges that may be payable, which are material information to any prospective investor who may be required to invest in the prospectus that will be issued later in the year.

The provisions, and the considerations of procedure, seem to be in advance of the Lords amendments. It is possible that the Lords may decide to change the amendments even further in the next week or so so the motion is surely unnecessary. It is being rushed through, and I urge the Government to withdraw it tonight, or I, too, shall be forced into the No Lobby.

10/10/2022
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Comments on Avanti West Coast

The comments made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, on 7 October 2022.

We need train services which are reliable and resilient to modern day life. Services on Avanti have been unacceptable and while the company has taken positive steps to get more trains moving, it must do more to deliver certainty of service to its passengers.

We have agreed a 6-month extension to Avanti to assess whether it is capable of running this crucial route to a standard passengers deserve and expect.

07/10/2022
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Speech at the Atlantic Future Forum
The speech made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, in New York on 29 September 2022.

Thank you, and good morning everyone.

It is a real pleasure to join you today (29 September 2022).

And what better backdrop for a speech on maritime security than the magnificent HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Thank you to all her crew for accommodating us this week.

Yet whatever pride I feel delivering my first speech as Transport Secretary on the largest vessel ever built for the Royal Navy, my emotions are also tinged with sadness.

Because it was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who performed the naming ceremony for this superb ship just 8 years ago at Rosyth in Scotland.

Suitably, she didn’t use the traditional bottle of champagne, but a bottle of whisky, to launch the new vessel.

Her Late Majesty will be profoundly missed, and I would like to thank all those around the world, including many friends here in the United States, who sent condolences. Your support and demonstrations of love and respect helped ensure a fitting farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

Her Late Majesty was a champion of the Royal Navy, and she understood its historic leadership in underwriting prosperity and trade.

Shipping continues to drive the global economy today, just as it has done for millennia.

Our seas are by far the most important arteries for global trade, carrying over 95% of all goods.

But while the maritime industry normally conducts its business beyond the public gaze, recent events have thrust global supply chains into the spotlight… and in particular, the importance of resilient and secure shipping routes.

In particular, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has awakened and reminded us all of our need as a global community to protect maritime trade, and support an international order based on rules and principles which are enforced.

For the Department for Transport, that is about ensuring the security of all networks that move goods, people and information around the world, and that underpin our way of life and our economy.

We have seen Putin weaponise food by trying to crush the economic and humanitarian criticality of Ukraine’s agricultural economy.

In blockading of Ukrainian ports, Putin has prevented the export of global grain supplies.

These actions have had a terrible impact on the world’s poorest people, and driven up food and fertiliser prices.

We are doing what we can to alleviate the international food security crisis that Putin has created.

The UK and our allies pushed hard to secure the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative in July that has allowed over 3 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports so far.

We will continue to enforce the toughest sanctions against Russia to undermine its shipping industry and reduce its export revenue.

We will continue to work with international partners to implement an oil price cap and ban on maritime insurance for Russian oil later this year.

And we will continue to stand alongside our Ukrainian friends, strengthening their hand to finish this war on their terms.

The UK is an island nation with global interests.

The numerous islands that form the UK, our Crown Dependencies and our Overseas Territories all rely on unimpeded international trade.

The shipping routes between the UK and our trading partners and allies form some of the busiest trading routes in the world.

We are highly connected to the rest of the world and will continue to be so in the future.

Our maxim is to ensure the UK is and remains the most secure and reliable nation to trade with globally.

In 2021, we published Global Britain in a competitive age: the integrated review of security.

This document reaffirmed the first duty of government – to protect our people, our homeland, and our democracy.

That means protecting our ports and airports, and the trade routes vital to our national prosperity.

In an increasingly uncertain world, we must work harder to safeguard transport networks against a complex variety of security risks and natural hazards.

That’s why we have published our National strategy for maritime security, setting out 5 strategic objectives to help deliver the objectives of the integrated review.
- protecting our homeland
- responding to threats
- ensuring prosperity
- championing our values
- supporting a secure, resilient ocean
Our strategy acts as a blueprint for maritime security – explaining how we will protect our borders and ports, and address the threats we face.

We consider how we will comprehensively tackle cyber security, defending the global supply chain at a time of increased automation and evolving cyber technologies.

An important aspect of this is covered in the UK by the National Security and Investments Act.

This allows us to scrutinise and potentially intervene if acquisitions of assets linked to the UK may pose national security risks.

All investment involving our transport sector is subject to thorough analysis. and must satisfy robust legal, regulatory and national security requirements.

Alongside defensive measures, we are committed to maintaining our reputation for the UK to be one of the best places to invest.

That is why, the government has established a network of freeports – to act as business hubs for international trade, innovation and commerce, and have just announced last week a next wave of investment zones. These hubs will regenerate communities by attracting investment and jobs to towns and cities up and down the country.

Beyond investment in security, we have been developing our maritime security structure for several years.

A significant part of this has been creating the Joint Maritime Security Centre in 2019. This national organisation helps coordinate what we call our ‘whole system response.’

This brings together all the organisations and teams which work to deter and respond to threats – including high-readiness maritime assets.

The Joint Maritime Security Centre ensures that government, military, and law enforcement agencies have a closely-coordinated understanding of threats and risks in our own waters, and across the globe.

We continue to develop these capabilities against current and emerging threats – from terrorism, piracy or hostile states – and also help us understand security concerns for shipping routes as our climate changes and we need to adapt.

This is particularly important when looking at the Arctic and High North, which will provide faster shipping routes to Asia. There will be new security challenges which we need to anticipate and plan to provide 21st century solutions.

At home and abroad, we will always protect our interests and those of our international partners. That means understanding how threats could arise along international trade routes or chokepoints, how they can be addressed, and what their impact might be.

We don’t just consider hard security dangers.

Threats to our marine environment are also a security issue.

The fragile marine ecosystem is a precious resource, so we must respond to any dangers early. From destruction of fishing stocks to dumping of illegal waste. Any activities that harm the marine environment and destroy the livelihoods of those living in coastal communities.

In many countries this loss of income for some of the most impoverished in society can lead to people being exploited by criminal gangs and terrorists.

So tackling environmental problems early can reduce long term harm and we have a unique window of opportunity to harness technology develop new green solutions.

We must act now to reduce maritime’s contribution to climate change.

Maritime transport is currently responsible for almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions and if it were a country, it would be the world’s sixth largest emitter.

We face a massive challenge. However, with concerted global action, the worst impacts can still be averted

That is why earlier in the year, as part of the UK’s revised National shipbuilding strategy, we announced £206 million for a new UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions, to invest in maritime decarbonisation.

Today, I am delighted to launch the third round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition – as part of this programme of investment.

This is the largest round to date, with up to £60 million available for technology and system demonstrations in clean maritime solutions.

So far, these competitions have helped many developers working on new shipping technologies and fuels.

From hydrogen, ammonia and methanol fuels, to batteries and shore power – and from automated vessels, hybrid engines and green storage facilities at ports to energy from offshore wind infrastructure – we are working hard to pioneer the breakthrough and secure maritime technologies of the future.

Today, I am also announcing the winners from the second round of the competition, allocating over £12 million to 31 different projects, including 3 green shipping corridors which can help lead decarbonisation solutions.

This will help to fulfil our commitment under the Clydebank Declaration, which the UK proudly launched at COP26 with 24 signatory states, including the US, to progress 6 innovative zero emission shipping routes by the middle of the decade.

Of course, the more we collaborate, the faster we progress.

So we will continue to work closely with US partners and others to raise the level of ambition on climate change at the International Maritime Organisation, which faces a crucial year as it revises its initial strategy on greenhouse gas reduction.

More broadly, the UK will work with like-minded partners around the world to reduce every sector in transport’s reliance on fossil fuels, and embrace decarbonisation.

On Tuesday, I was in Montreal speaking at the International Civil Aviation Organisation General Assembly, urging the adoption of long-term emission goals that are consistent with the Paris Agreement.

We must push every sector to play its part – but maritime will remain critical to our success or failure as a global family.

Under the leadership of new Prime Minister, Britain will be a relentlessly outward-facing nation.

The UK will continue to utilise its hard security, economic security and diplomatic heft to build stronger global alliances.

At a time when the world is recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and rebuilding the supply chains that feed the global economy…

At a time when Russian aggression is disrupting established trade routes…

It has never been more important for the international community to come together and protect global shipping.

We will continue to support, defend and uphold the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and protect freedom of navigation.

We will safeguard the marine environment, and help lead the transition to green shipping.

And we will work with all our partners to ensure maritime trade and travel continues to operate safely, securely and sustainably, right around the world.

Thank you.
30/09/2022