Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the level of (a) expertise in and (b) experience of rail in his Department's rail reform team.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department’s rail reform team has an excellent level of experience in Rail and other industries.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the delivery time for new fleets on (a) East Midlands Railway and (b) West Coast Partnership manufactured by Hitachi: and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The delivery timescales for new rolling stock are set out in the supply agreements between the operators and the manufacturers. The Department monitors delivery of new fleets against the requirements set out in national rail contracts or franchise agreements.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2021 to Question 27274 on Rolling Stock: Procurement, what estimate he has made of the trajectory of whole life rolling stock leasing costs on train fleets ordered since February 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In line with our published guidance on how to assess costs and benefits of government schemes and policies, DfT consider a whole life asset approach for estimating rolling stock appraisals.
The Department’s value for money framework for completing assessments and communicating to decision makers can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dft-value-for-money-framework.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2021 to Question 27274 on Rolling Stock: Procurement, what specific assessment he has made of the best value bids for taxpayers of rolling stock ordered since February 2016.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Procurement of rolling stock has been undertaken by operators as part of their franchise requirements. As part of their bids, operators would have set out their evidence to demonstrate how they achieve the best value for taxpayers.
The Franchise Agreements can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/transport/rail-franchising.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2021 to Question 27274 on Rolling Stock: Procurement, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to passenger rail operating contracts since March 2020 on rolling stock leasing costs for new train fleets (a) procured and (b) agreed by his Department since February 2016.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Rolling stock leasing costs were contracted between the respective operator and owner as part of the franchising process. The department continues to monitor rolling stock related costs closely throughout the life of the contracts to ensure that they are in line with what has been agreed and that what is proposed will deliver benefits to passengers.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2021 to Question 27274 on Rolling Stock: Procurement, to what extent (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (a) overseen and (b) agreed the rolling stock procurement processes undertaken by (i) Greater Anglia, (ii) TransPennine, (iii) West Midland Trains, (iv) South Western Railway and (v) c2c since February 2016.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Procurement of rolling stock has been undertaken by operators as part of their franchise requirements. As part of their bids, operators would have set out their approach to meet the minimum requirements in the invitation to tender. These bids will have been evaluated by officials and Ministers advised appropriately through the franchise competition process.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2021 to Question 27274 on Rolling Stock: Procurement, to what extent the specification for new rolling stock (a) procured and (b) agreed by the operators of (i) Greater Anglia, (ii) TransPennine, (iii) West Midland Trains, (iv) South Western Railway and (v) c2c was determined by the requirements set out by his Department as part of the invitation to tender for the relevant franchise.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The invitation to tender for previous franchise competitions sets out the minimum requirements that bidders are to meet, and it is for bidders to provide evidence as to whether existing or new build rolling stock meets those requirements.