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Division Vote (Commons)
10 Dec 2025 - Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer - View Vote Context
John McDonnell (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 290 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 90 Noes - 297
Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she requires the train companies contracted to her Department to include trade union health and safety representatives in post violent incident activity including safety inspections, violence at work policy reviews and reviews of safety risk assessments.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What assessment she has made of the sharing of violence at work data with trade unions by the train companies contracted to her Department.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What assessment she has made of the triggers for violence perpetrated on the rail network.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What instructions has she given to the train companies contracted to her Department on the consideration of violence at work as part of workplace stress risk assessments.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What assessment has she made of the adequacy of reporting procedures for workplace violence at the train companies contracted to her Department.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What instructions has she given to the train companies contracted to her Department on the need to undertake violence at work risk assessments.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Staff
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What instruction she has given to the train companies contracted to her Department on the lone working of rail staff and the impact on staff safety and security.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Written Question
Railways: Crimes of Violence
Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What assessment has she made of the training provided to frontline rail workers on dealing with conflict at work.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Train operating companies must comply with the law, which includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent railway safety regulator for the UK, oversees these legal requirements. Its enforcement powers derive from the 1974 Act, and range from giving advice and information, through to prosecution in the courts. This covers issues such as lone working, violence at work etc.

The Secretary of State also requests, through National Rail Contracts, that train operating companies measure perceptions of staff safety and develop action plans accordingly.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Dec 2025
Railways Bill

"I declare an interest as chair of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers parliamentary group. There is currently no reference at all in the Bill to staffing. Who will be the staff’s employer? What will happen with their pensions? Will TUPE apply on transfer? Will their existing …..."
John McDonnell - View Speech

View all John McDonnell (Lab - Hayes and Harlington) contributions to the debate on: Railways Bill