Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the nations and regions of Great Britain will be reflected in the governance structure of Great British Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Railways Bill will include a statutory role for devolved governments and Mayoral Strategic Authorities in governing, planning, managing, and developing the railway under Great British Railways (GBR). We have had continuous proactive and productive engagement with Scottish and Welsh Government Officials and Ministers throughout the Bills development. This engagement will ensure that the Devolved Governments are represented within Great British Railways governance.
Great British Railways (GBR) will work collaboratively with devolved leaders and local stakeholders to ensure rail services meet local needs. Empowered local GBR business units will engage with devolved and local authorities on their priorities and strategies.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which organisation is leading strategy for the transfer from (a) the privately owned train operating companies to the Department for Transport Operator (DfTO) and (b) from DfTO to Great British Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Public Ownership Programme Directorate has been established in the Department to oversee and manage the transfer of passenger services from private ownership into public ownership.
DfT is the lead Government Department for the rail sector transformation programme which includes the creation of Great British Railways and the coming together of more than 17 existing organisations – including Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group, DFTO, parts of DfT, and 14 separate Train Operating Companies – into a single organisation.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what mechanism the DfT Operator Limited and Network Rail will be brought into Great British Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
GBR will integrate track and train and bring together activities from more than 17 existing organisations – including Network Rail and DFTO. To avoid delay resulting from highly complex transfers of assets, people and contracts that would otherwise be required during implementation, GBR will be created out of Network Rail Infrastructure Limited.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the (a) Southeastern and Network Rail Alliance and (b) proposed Anglia Railways will be integrated into Great British Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Southeastern alliance and Anglia Railways will trailblaze what an integrated railway can do. Integrating track and train at a local level is at the heart of the vision for GBR.
GBR will integrate track and train and bring together activities from more than 17 existing organisations – including Network Rail and the DFTO into a single organisation.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with trade unions on the formation of Anglia Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and our industry partners, Network Rail and DFT Operator, have regular discussions with trade unions on a range of topics, including rail reform, of which integrated management arrangements are one part. The formation of integrated management arrangements across track and train, such as South Eastern Railway already established, is led by Network Rail and DFT Operator.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 3 April 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS576, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of Tees Valley Combined Authority's (a) management of and (b) accounting for the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement funding allocation between 2022-23 and 2026-27.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) play a key role in improving local networks across the country. Alongside significant capital investment, CRSTS provides revenue funding to help places manage delivery effectively. Tees Valley’s programme business case was assessed by Government, and the Department works closely with Mayoral Combined Authorities to monitor delivery progress and expenditure through an agreed governance framework. Any relevant findings from the Best Value process will be duly considered as appropriate.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 3 April 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS576, what assessment her Department has made of the capacity of the Tees Valley Combined Authority to (a) manage and (b) account for the use of the Transport for City Regions funding allocation between 2027-28 and 2031-32.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Chancellor announced the £15.6 billion Transport for City Regions settlements on 4 June 2025. The settlements provide long-term funding certainty, including revenue funding, ensuring city regions have the resources they need to effectively manage programmes. The Department will also work closely with Mayoral Strategic Authorities on a governance framework to monitor delivery progress and expenditure. Any relevant findings from the Best Value process will be duly considered as appropriate.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what she has had recent discussions with her French counterpart on the potential impact of legislation on seafarer working conditions on ferry routes between the UK and France since 28 June 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane
On 9 April, the Transport Secretary met with Philippe Tabarot, the French Minister for Transport, where they discussed our shared commitment to seafarer protections and ongoing cooperation.
Officials at the Department for Transport and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have been working closely with the French authorities to discuss opportunities for joint working and cooperation.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which ferry operators have signed up to the voluntary Seafarers Charter published by her Department on 18 July 2023; and what steps she is taking to improve (a) seafarer working conditions and (b) maritime safety.
Answered by Mike Kane
A number of ferry operators have made commitments to comply with the voluntary Seafarers’ Charter and have provided evidence to the Department for Transport to support their compliance. Officials are assessing the evidence and working with operators to ensure that they meet the required standards.
Improving seafarer working conditions is a priority for the department. We have also introduced measures in the Employment Rights Bill to further strengthen workers’ rights at sea. We are delivering on our commitment to a mandatory Seafarers’ Charter by making compliance with regulations on pay, tours of duty, fatigue management and safety training, conditions of port entry. We are also ensuring that we have the necessary powers to uphold our international obligations by implementing amendments to international maritime conventions to which we have signed up, and we are closing the loophole which allowed P&O Ferries to avoid notifying the UK government of collective redundancies on foreign flagged vessels without prosecution.
Safety underpins all aspects of maritime activity and is a key Government priority. A Maritime Safety Action Plan was published in 2019 explaining what DfT, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), our General Lighthouse Authorities and others are doing to support the sector to deliver continuous improvement in performance.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether P&O Ferries has responded to the request for an equivalence declaration from the harbour authority in (a) Larne, (b) Cairnryan, (c) Teesport, (d) Hull, (e) Tilbury and (f) Dover under section 5 of the Seafarers’ Wages Regulations 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 and Seafarers’ Wages Regulations 2024 do not require harbour authorities to inform the Secretary of State of requests for declarations, or of responses to requests of declarations from operators.