MSPs are set to grill the boss of P&O Ferries after the firm sacked 800 seafarers and replaced them with agency staff on sub-minimum wage pay.
Tuesday’s appearance in the Scottish Parliament comes after the company announced earlier this month that it would be sacking 800 seafarers and replacing them with agency staff, with workers being told by video message.
Peter Hebblethwaite will face the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee after having already sat for a Westminster committee last week.
Meanwhile, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced it has detained a second P&O ferry.
The MCA said it was “in the process” of holding The Pride of Kent on Monday.
A spokesperson for the MCA said: “Our surveyors are in the process of detaining the Pride of Kent. We are awaiting confirmation of all the detainable items.”
On Monday, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned Hebblethwaite that a “package of measures” was being pursued to “block” the sacking of staff.
In a letter on Monday, Shapps said: “I will be bringing a comprehensive package of measures to Parliament to ensure that seafarers are protected against these types of actions in the way that Parliament and this Government already intended.
“Through that package, I intend to block the outcome that P&O Ferries has pursued, including paying workers less than the minimum wage.”
The measures could be revealed as early as Wednesday.
Hebblethwaite has also been criticised north of the border, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying she had made clear her “utter disgust” at the job cuts.
Committee convener Dean Lockhart wrote to Mr Hebblethwaite the day after the decision was announced, urging him to appear as soon as possible.
He wrote: “The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is extremely concerned about yesterday’s news that around 800 of P&O’s staff have been sacked, reportedly with immediate effect, and that services, including the Cairnryan-Larne line, have been suspended, ruining passengers’ travel plans.
“I am writing to request an urgent update so that the committee may reflect on its immediate scrutiny in relation to this matter.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here