By Carole Dennett
Amidst a sudden surge of activity on the contentious ferry issue, MP Bob Seely has secured a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday at 4pm, just before Parliament breaks for Easter.
MPs enter a ballot to secure these debates. No other MP is entitled to speak and a Department for Transport minister will respond. Previously Mr Seely has spoken in such debates, but issued press releases afterwards, denying Islanders any chance of influencing the issues raised. Although he has known about his debate on ‘Government support for cross-Solent ferry transport’ for some days, Mr Seely doesn’t appear to have made it public.
MPs often give ministers their speech in advance, so that the response can be written by officials. That is sensible – nobody can answer all questions off the cuff. But following so many service failures and above inflation price rises, the IW Observer believes Islanders should influence the debate and have issues they consider important raised – not just those Mr Seely privately agrees with the government in advance.
There are fundamental problems with our ferries. Mr Seely says he has frequently raised these at the highest levels. But the consistent message from government (as recently as March 7) is that there are no problems and our ferry market works perfectly well. The government is not listening. Commitments given months before an election this government is expected to lose can only be taken with a pinch of salt.
Mr Seely’s recently-released ferry paper makes no mention of involving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the body with powers to investigate markets. The CMA can order the ferry companies to provide information, impose legally binding remedies and fine them for non-compliance. The IW Observer asked Mr Seely last Monday whether he would support a referral to the CMA. He hasn’t answered.
The cross-Solent ferries were last looked at by competition authorities (then the Office of Fair Trading) was in 2008 with only limited success. It introduced half-price travel for NHS patients and promises of greater transparency from the ferry companies – not all have been kept! Since then profit margins have increased, services decreased and prices soared. It is time for the body with the teeth to protect consumers to look again. Significantly, the leader of the IW Council has said he would support this if it is recommended by a group of industry professionals. Is it the only way to force the ferry companies to listen and act. Long experience proves that they will not do anything voluntarily as Mr Seely hopes.
The IW Observer is publicly calling on Mr Seely to suggest involving the CMA next Tuesday, and challenge his government to support a full investigation. If he doesn’t Islanders deserve a full explanation why not.
What do you think Mr Seely should raise in his debate?
