MCA fees consultation
Detail of outcome
The MCA has reviewed the comments received from across the maritime industry from its Autumn 2016 consultation. In response to feedback received from industry, it has been decided to phase in the survey fee increase over two years from £94 to £147 and the UK seafarer medical examination fee (ENG1) from £80 to £115 over three years. All other fees will increase immediately on 13 November 2018.
For more information, please see the MCA’s press release on the increases.
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
MCA contacted over 1000 maritime stakeholders including professional organisations, customers, other interested parties and other government departments. Many of the organisations represent vessel owners and shared the information we provided with their membership. 84 responses were received.
Of these, 49 responses expressed concern about the ENG1 fee and a separate stakeholder engagement exercise was conducted in February 2017. This exercise resulted in the proposal of a phased increase of the ENG1 and there was general agreement about the revised proposal to increase the ENG1 fee from £80 to £115 over a three-year period. The remaining 35 responses were in broad agreement about the Agency’s need to achieve full cost recovery but preferred a phased approach to increasing the fees to their new level. You can find further information in our summary list of MCA fees.
Feedback from the consultation indicated that a planned approach to fees increases is important to industry. In this section you can also view letters between the MCA Chief Executive and the Shipping Minister providing important assurances about the regularity and transparency of future increases.
Original consultation
Consultation description
This consultation seeks to gather the views of people and organisations from the maritime sector on our proposal to raise our range of fees.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is required to comply with the guidance set out in HM Treasury’s publication Managing Public Money. The full cost recovery norm for fees ensures Government neither profits at the expense of consumers nor makes a loss for taxpayers to subsidise. Since September 2006, the MCA has not changed its fee level and has consequently absorbed increases in ship registrations, ship surveys and merchant navy training costs. The recently published Maritime Growth Study identified full cost recovery as critical to improving the service provided by the MCA.
Consultation documents:
- MCA survey fees consultation 2016 – the main consultation document
- Annex A – Excel spreadsheet giving current and proposed fees
- Merchant Shipping Regulations 2006 – the current relevant regulations
- Merchant Shipping Regulations (proposed) 2017 – proposed new regulations incorporating the new fees
- MCA impact assessment reviewing the possible effects of raising fees
- Oxford Economics Report – an independent impact assessment
- Cross reference table – This is a guide to where fees can be found in Annex A, MCA impact assessment, 2006 Regulations and proposed 2017 Regulations for comparison purposes.
Documents
Last updated 12 December 2018 + show all updates
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Updated consultation responses document due to typo.
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Consultation responses and final outcome added
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First published.