Rail Dispute: Michael Ford QC

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 29th June 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)]

There were many questions there, to which I will try to respond. The real prize in all this, for both rail passengers and rail freight, is long-term transformation to a modern and efficient seven-day railway, where services align with demand and adapt to current patterns of travelling and rail freight, from the perspectives of both location and time. The Government absolutely want the employers to be able to reach an agreement with the RMT. We are clear that it is for the industry to conduct the day-to-day negotiations with the RMT in this dispute. Under the Labour Government of some time ago, there were strikes by both firefighters and postal workers; they took exactly the same approach and asked the employers to negotiate with the unions.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, can the Minister tell us who owns Network Rail?

[Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)]

The Government, and therefore the taxpayer.