P&O Ferries could face 'criminal' proceedings, UK Government warns amid backlash

dailyrecord.co.uk:

P&O Ferries has been blasted in an scathing letter by the UK Business Secretary who has warned the company they could be facing "criminal" offences and an unlimited fine for laying off hundreds of workers.

Kwasi Kwarteng told the firm that it acted "appallingly" in its treatment of its staff.The letter, also signed by business minister Paul Scully and addressed to chairman Robert Woods, accused P&O Ferries of being happy to receive a pay out from the British taxpayer from the Furlough scheme but unwilling to abide by employment rules.P&O Ferries sacked 800 workers over a video call on Thursday to replace them with agency crews.The UK Government is now looking into whether it broke the law.Downing Street today warned of "ramifications" and warned it was "too early" to say whether the firm acted lawfully by replacing workers with agency staff.Asked by the Mirror if it broke the law, P&O today insisted it followed "standard industry practice" by offering "enhanced severance terms" to those affected and "properly compensating them for the lack of warning and consultation.".The Business Secretary's letter stopped short of saying the company would have to pay back £10m of furlough cash it received during Covid.But it warned: "It is particularly depressing that this should happen given the millions of pounds of British taxpayer support P&O companies received from the furlough scheme."It cannot be right that the company feels tied closely enough to the UK to receive significant amounts of taxpayer money but does not appear willing to abide by the rules that we have put in place to protect British workers."Firms must by law notify the Insolvency Service - and consult with staff - if they plan to make more than 20 staff redundant