Select committee: Transport Committee

Recommendation 21

Fifth Report - Maritime 2050 Published 20 Mar 2023 Paragraph 122 Addressed to Department for Transport
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the Government’s intention to call for evidence on planning and delivering infrastructure for the freight and logistics sector. This must include questions about the planning process and the hurdles that are being faced by the maritime and ports sectors in this area. We urge the Government to bring forward this consultation without further delay, and to use the outcome of it, in combination with the 2018 Ports Connectivity Study, to develop concrete priorities and plans.

From: Transport Committee, Fifth Report - Maritime 2050 (HC 160), paragraph 122, 20 March 2023

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 20 June 2023 (deadline 20 May 2023).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government agrees with some of the Committee's recommendations, partially agrees with others, notes several, and disagrees with the one on the role of ports.

  • On decarbonisation, the government agrees and says it "will publish the updated Clean Maritime Plan by the end of 2023", including indicative targets for the domestic maritime sector.
  • On UK SHORE, it agrees but is "unable to commit to public long-term funding"; further investment beyond March 2025 "is dependent on future budget decisions".
  • On maritime autonomy legislation, it partially agrees: reforms are necessary but "we cannot legislate for them during the current parliamentary session due to competing priorities". It says its response to the Future of Transport review will be published "in the coming weeks".
  • It disagrees with the recommendation on the role of ports, stating that it "fully understand[s] the role of ports" and "continues to champion their cause across Government". On the seafarers' welfare charter, it "notes" the recommendation and says the charter will "initially launch on a voluntary basis".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error