Railways: Franchises Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Transport

Railways: Franchises

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts
Wednesday 10th October 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, if we need a more fundamental review of the structure of the rail industry, and in particular franchising, I am sure that the Brown review will suggest that. I redraw the House’s attention to what Professor Begg said over the weekend.

Lord Campbell-Savours Portrait Lord Campbell-Savours
- Hansard - -

The noble Earl is deliberately avoiding answering the question that is being asked by my Front Bench, which is a question that I tried to ask yesterday. Were Theresa Villiers and Justine Greening informed by civil servants, prior to the appointment of Mr McLoughlin as Transport Secretary, of discrepancies in the calculations concerned with these bids? The answer is simply yes, they were aware, or no, they were not.

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, that matter is to be determined by the Laidlaw inquiry.