P&O Ferries: UK plans to block ferries that don't pay minimum wage

The UK will give ports new powers to block ferries from docking if they do not pay their crew the UK minimum wage.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps set out the plans following the no-notice sackings of 800 P&O Ferries staff earlier this month.

"This will send a clear message to the maritime industry: we will not allow this to happen again," he said.

He also said he will ask the Insolvency Service to consider disqualifying the boss of P&O as a company director.

Peter Hebblethwaite has so far refused to resign over the scandal, but Mr Shapps said he had written to the regulator conveying his "firm belief" that he is "unfit to lead a British company".

P&O Ferries provoked outrage from unions and the public when it sacked hundreds of seafarers without any notice, replacing them with agency workers paid less than the minimum wage.

Mr Hebblethwaite then admitted the firm had knowingly broken the law by not consulting with unions and planned to compensate workers instead.