Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Service Quality Regime for the Avanti West Coast train operator provides good value for money.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department uses performance fees to incentivise operators to deliver the right outcomes for passengers.
Standards provided at stations and on trains are evaluated through an independent regime, the Service Quality Regime (SQR), so fees are awarded fairly and accurately ensuring value for money for taxpayers.
To date no fees have been paid to Avanti under SQR. The first period assessed under SQR are scores for April to October 2023 and evaluation is currently underway.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to resume publication of the National Rail Passenger Satisfaction Survey which was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport are working closely with Transport Focus and other bodies within the industry to develop cost effective proposals for improving understanding of customer satisfaction across the rail network. This seeks to build on existing sources of information including independent research, complaints data, “mystery shopper” research and other surveys.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 20 December 2023 (HL1200), what discussions they have had with Hitachi about using their Newton Aycliffe plant to alleviate overcrowding, in particular between Cardiff and London, by repairing damaged rolling stock to enable services to be run with the scheduled number of carriages.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Great Western, as the operator of the trains, is in continual contact with their delivery partners to ensure that any sets that are damaged are repaired in a timely manner and at the most appropriate repair location.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 21 December 2023 (HL1254), to what extent foregone revenue and delay repay compensation are taken into account when they are considering increasing the capacity of railway services.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department considers a range of factors including demand, revenue impact, cost to taxpayers, network capacity and operational performance when considering whether to increase rail services. Delay repay compensation varies with operational performance and is not considered directly when assessing potential new services.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 20 December 2023 (HL1201), when they expect any further services to be reintroduced between Nottingham and Lincoln, as passenger numbers now exceed those before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No further services are planned to be reintroduced between Nottingham and Lincoln stations, as services are now back to the regular frequency that was historically the case.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 20 December 2023 (HL1202), what specific action they have taken to make additional rolling stock available to the train operator, and whether actual or potential consequent loss of revenue is considered when such decisions are made.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Cross Country trains are continuing discussions with the rolling stock market and it is hoped that confirmation of its future fleet will be made public in due course. In assessing the Business Case for additional train fleet, actual or potential loss of revenue is one of the factors that are considered in making such decisions.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 December 2023 (HL1133), whether the prosecutions referred to are for income tax or VAT offences, and what assessment they have made of the sufficiency of the resources targeting these offences.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The prosecutions and convictions referenced in the answer I gave on 20 December 2023 to PQ HL1133 relate to all HMRC compliance related offences irrespective of tax head.
HMRC’s aim is for everyone to pay the tax that is legally due, no matter who they are. It has achieved a long-term reduction in the UK’s tax gap from 7.5% in 2005-06 to 4.8% in 2021-22.
HMRC tailors compliance activity, including allocation of resources, depending on the level of risk in each tax head, but also on customer behaviours and capability. This allows the Department to identify compliance risks and customer needs, and adapt its approach where necessary – to offer more support to help people get their tax right, or to take targeted action against avoidance, evasion and criminal attacks.
The most effective way it can ensure the right tax is paid is through the overall design of the tax system – improving processes to remove opportunities for error and fraud, and taking preventative action to educate and help customers get their taxes right first time.
Criminal investigation, with a view to prosecution, is an important part of HMRC’s overall compliance strategy. HMRC will conduct criminal investigations and seek criminal prosecutions where the behaviour displayed is such that only a criminal sanction is appropriate, or where a criminal prosecution will act as a strong deterrent.
The rules are the same for everyone, but tailoring the approach helps HMRC to respond in the most targeted, proportionate and effective way.
The resource available for HMRC and its compliance work is agreed with ministers at Spending Reviews and Fiscal Events. The agreed level is shaped by economic factors and enables HMRC to carry out the compliance activity required to maintain a stable tax gap over the medium term.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Treasury considers net revenue implications when making decisions that relate to the capacity of railway services.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
DfT is responsible for decisions relating to the capacity of rail services. When proposals require HM Treasury ministers’ approval, they consider a range of factors, including revenue and cost (i.e. the impact on the taxpayer).