Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he intends to answer the letter dated 20 January 2016 from the Right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr D. Zdravkovic.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
My Rt. Hon Friend wrote to the Rt. Hon Member on 3 February 2016.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he intends to answer the letter to him dated 23 November 2015 with regard to Ms A Gledson.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
My Rt. Hon Friend wrote to the Rt. Hon Member on 15 December 2015.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which external consultants were involved in the design of the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd; and what the cost to his Department was in each case.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department for Transport ran a procurement for legal, technical and financial advisers for the InterCity West Coast Direct Award project. The advisers contracted, and the estimated fees to be paid for the work on the project, are shown below:
Legal advisers – Addleshaw Goddard - £204,960
Technical advisers – TRL-Halcrow - £227,607
Financial advisers – PwC - £264,467
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will confirm the legal protections for existing collective bargaining agreements between recognised trade unions and West Coast Trains Ltd for the period of the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to the employer on 19 June and coming into effect on 22 June 2014.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
As there has been no change of employer under this direct award, our expectation is that the status of contracts, collective bargaining agreements and legal protections are unchanged. However, staffing matters remain an issue between the employer, West Coast Trains Limited, and its staff.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total financial support from the public purse will be given to West Coast Trains Ltd for the duration of the directly awarded passenger rail franchise announced on 19 June 2014; and what the deadline is for exercising the optional one-year franchise extension from April 2017 to April 2018.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department for Transport has contracted a premium payable to government of £433million over the course of the directly awarded passenger rail franchise to West Coast Trains Limited. In addition, the contract includes a provision which will trigger higher premiums to government if GDP growth is higher than forecast and lower premiums if GDP growth is lower than forecast (subject to minimum levels of movements in GDP from forecast). Notice must be provided to West Coast Trains Limited no later than 31 December 2016 of any intention to exercise the up to one year franchise extension.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials in his Department were involved in the negotiations with Virgin for the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The core InterCity West Coast Direct Award Team numbered four officials, some of whom spent part of their time on other projects. The core team was supported by finance, legal, technical and economic specialists and received input from officials across the Department for Transport's Rail Executive and wider Department where appropriate.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which external consultants were involved in the negotiations with Virgin for the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd; and what the cost to his Department was of each such consultancy.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Department for Transport ran a procurement for legal, technical and financial advisers for the InterCity West Coast Direct Award project. The advisers contracted, and the estimated fees to be paid for the work on the project, are shown below:
Legal advisers – Addleshaw Goddard - £204,960
Technical advisers – TRL-Halcrow - £227,607
Financial advisers – PwC - £264,467
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's targets for (a) punctuality, (b) passenger satisfaction and (c) cleanliness are in the rail passenger franchise awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd; when he expects these targets to be introduced on the franchise; and who will be responsible for regulating the franchisee's performance against each such target.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The agreed targets are contained within the Franchise Agreement between West Coast Trains Limited and the Secretary of State for Transport, which will be published in due course. The contract will be managed and enforced by officials in the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials in his Department were involved in the design of the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The core InterCity West Coast Direct Award Team numbered four officials, some of whom spent part of their time on other projects. The core team was supported by finance, legal, technical and economic specialists and received input from officials across the Department for Transport's Rail Executive and wider Department where appropriate.
Asked by: Gerald Kaufman (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the effect of the specifications in the rail passenger franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd on 19 June 2014 on levels of (a) on-train, (b) station and (c) ticket office staffing; and what discussions on the franchise specifications (i) his Department and (ii) Virgin Trains has had with trades unions representing staff working on the West Coast Main Line.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Staffing levels are a commercial matter for Virgin Trains. The Department has not engaged with trades unions representing staff working on the West Coast Main Line regarding the franchise specification of the recent direct award to West Coast Trains Limited.