Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend that the national specialty lead for rare cancers, to be appointed under the Rare Cancers Act 2026, is to be a full-time, appropriately remunerated post; and at what Civil Service grade or equivalent the postholder will be appointed.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026 by ensuring that a National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers is appointed by summer 2026.

The National Specialty Lead will be based in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) and will support research delivery for rare cancers research.

National specialty leads are part time roles that are appointed through a competitive process as a secondment to the University of Leeds who provide the NIHR RDN Coordinating Centre, working with and on behalf of the Department. The National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers will be appropriately renumerated with a salary grade that is consistent with their substantive post.

Implementing the Rare Cancers Act 2026 will make it easier for clinical trials on rare cancers to be delivered in England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps Network Rail is taking to collect direct cost data, including Delay Repay and damage repair costs, relating to rail trespass incidents.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Network Rail does not hold data on the cost of damage repair costs relating to rail trespass incidents.

Rail industry stakeholders work together – including across Network Rail, this Department, the Office of Rail and Road and the train operators – to share information and data to support efforts to combat rail trespass. This includes the Office of Rail and Road’s data on delay compensation claims and the Department’s data on rail passenger compensation paid by train companies. Network Rail is currently running the No Second Chances campaign, to address safety incidents at level crossings and trespass.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are Network Rail's estimates of long-term revenue loss due to rail trespass incidents for (1) 2024, (2) 2025, and (3) 2026.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The combined figure is £218,374,921.

The annual (by financial year) breakdown is as follows:

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many working days were lost across the broader London commuter base as a result of industrial action by members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on the London Underground since 1 April 2026; and whether that figure includes working days lost by commuters unable to reach their place of work.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and Transport for London, as such the Government has made no assessment of the number of working days lost across the broader London commuter base as a result of industrial action by members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on the London Underground since 1 April 2026.

The Government has made no assessment of the total direct cost to the United Kingdom economy of industrial action on the London Underground since 1 April 2026 due to London Transport being devolved.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the total direct cost to the United Kingdom economy of industrial action on the London Underground since 1 April 2026.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and Transport for London, as such the Government has made no assessment of the number of working days lost across the broader London commuter base as a result of industrial action by members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on the London Underground since 1 April 2026.

The Government has made no assessment of the total direct cost to the United Kingdom economy of industrial action on the London Underground since 1 April 2026 due to London Transport being devolved.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when a British diplomatic or consular representative in Ireland last visited Shannon Airport and whether any report was made as to the arrangements there for implementing the Common Travel Area for passengers arriving directly from the United Kingdom.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

As the Prime Minister and Taoiseach made clear at the 2026 UK-Ireland Summit, the UK and Ireland are committed to protecting the integrity of the Common Travel Area. UK officials continue to work closely with their Irish counterparts on a range of issues, including border security and migration.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 20 April (HL Deb col 504) and the remarks by Baroness Blake of Leeds on 28 April (HL Deb col 1063), whether the previous Network Rail pay settlement did or did not include productivity incentives.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

In January this year Network Rail reached a pay settlement with its general grades staff at 3.8% along with delivery of efficiency improvements.

These efficiency improvements relate to changes in working practices and modernisation initiatives agreed between Network Rail and the trade unions to support a more sustainable and reliable railway.

The Government supports pay settlements which are fair, affordable and deliver value for taxpayers and farepayers

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they gave to the example of Elizabeth line trains when designing the Great British Railways train livery, particularly as regards the use of yellow paint on the face of the cab.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

A yellow front is a safety requirement on many trains, however modern lighting systems mean this is no longer strictly required on newer trains such as the Elizabeth Line fleet. Several operators moving into GBR use the same train model as is used on the Elizabeth Line, and last month I unveiled the first of that model to carry the GBR livery at London Waterloo. When applying the GBR livery to a train type, the decision on whether to retain a yellow front is being taken on a case‑by‑case basis balancing safety considerations, cost and durability, alongside the need for a clear and recognisable design for passengers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of lost fare revenue attributable to industrial action on the London Underground since 1 April 2026.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and Transport for London. Any impacts of strike action on London’s transport network are for TfL to assess and manage.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 2 June (HL335), what was the total value of Schedule 8 compensation payments made by Network Rail to Train Operating Companies resulting from rail trespass incidents in (1) 2024, (2) 2025, and (3) 2026 to date.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Network Rail / British Transport Police’s National Disruption Fusion Unit can supply Schedule 8 (delay report) costs for external (XA) trespass for the following:

The combined figure is £218,374,921.

The annual (by financial year) breakdown is as follows:

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total cost of overtime and rest-day working payments made to cover staff sickness in each state-owned Train Operating Company, in each month since January 2024.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department does not hold this information. Covering staff sickness is an operational matter for the train operating companies.