Pay for Royal Fleet Auxiliary Seafarers

That this House pays tribute to the commitment and dedication of the 1,700 civilian seafarers, including trainees, at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA); is concerned that nearly fifteen years of pay restraint is having a negative effect on recruitment, retention, training and industrial relations in the RFA; notes that inflation and pay restraint have effectively cut the value of RFA seafarers' pay by over thirty per cent since 2009-10; further notes that the number of RFA seafarers has fallen by twenty eight per cent since 2015 which compromises full and safe deployment of the RFA fleet; notes that RFA's thirteen ships support, re-supply and re-fuel the Royal Navy fleet on international deployment, combat drug trafficking and discharge the UK's humanitarian responsibilities following natural disasters; recognises the integral role that RFA crew play in maintaining the security and international interests of the UK and its maritime allies; highlights the RMT union's finding that nearly sixty per cent of RFA seafarers have worked for the RFA for over ten years; and calls on the Government to convene a forum with the recognised trade unions in the RFA to agree a fair pay award and wider reforms to prevent a crewing crisis at the RFA.