Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 29 January, whether the North West Recovery Task Force will "deliver recommendations on how best to boost capacity and performance in the short, medium and longer term" throughout the Northern Rail franchise area.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The task force, co-ordinated by Network Rail, is considering a number of options that can be implemented to improve the performance and capacity of all rail services through Greater Manchester. It is considering and assessing a range of potential timetable and infrastructure changes to be made across the short, medium and long term. The task force has been commissioned to create and develop improvement options in the North West, which includes the Northern Rail franchise area, and make recommendations to the government.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 29 January, whether the plan by Robin Gisby and Richard George to make sure the Government leaves "no stone unturned in improving this franchise for passengers" will be published and made public.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Northern Trains Ltd (NTL) will develop a plan over the first 100 days of its operation. This will set out the initiatives and measures that NTL believes are needed to deliver the services that passengers deserve and will be presented to the Government. Once agreed, NTL will publish details of any initiatives and measures to be taken forward and, where appropriate, these will form part of a new Services Agreement between the Secretary of State and NTL. In the meantime, from 1 March NTL will continue to deliver the new trains and associated service improvements that are already underway.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 29 January (HLWS69), what, if any, payments or compensation from public funds will be made to Northern Rail arising from, or following, it being taken into public ownership on 1 March; and what, if any, payments or compensation will be paid by the current operators of Northern Rail to the Government or any other public sector body arising from, or following, it being taken into public ownership.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The financial arrangements for the transfer of services have not been finalised. The Secretary of State intends to hold Arriva, the owning group of Arriva Rail North, to account for their contractual obligations and pursue the rights that arise from the termination of the contract.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 29 January (HLWS69), what is the estimated (1) cost, and (2) savings, to public funds arising from, and following, Northern Rail being taken into public ownership on 1 March.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The financial impact on public funds from the Northern rail franchise being taken into public ownership on 1st March 2020 has not yet been finalised. Financial impacts will include any additional subsidy necessary to deliver current rail services above the cost contracted in 2015.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they have in the decision making process for determining which of the proposed routes for the new Oxford to Cambridge Arc railway line should be the final route; and whether they will have a role in determining if the final route will pass through the Wimpole Hall Estate.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The decision will be made by Secretary of State for Transport. It will then be subject to the usual cross-government clearance processes.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and what percentage, of the members of the panel investigating the causes of the Thameslink 2018 timetable problems have been or are members of (1) the Board of the Office for Rail and Road, and (2) the boards of other companies or bodies whose roles will be assessed by the panel; which companies or bodies whose roles will be assessed are represented on the panel; and what assessment they have made of the impact of any membership of those boards by members of the panel on the (a) the independence, and (b) the appearance of independence of the panel.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
One member of the expert panel of four independent advisers supporting the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR’s) independent inquiry into the May 2018 timetable disruption is currently a non-executive member of ORR’s board and one panel member was a previous executive member of ORR’s board (until 2013). No other panel members are or have been a member of a board whose roles are being assessed by the inquiry, and no other companies whose roles will be assessed are represented on the panel.
More generally, the ORR is the independent regulator for the rail sector. As a public body independent of government, the ORR is answerable to Parliament. It is established by statute, and operates under a legislative framework that assures its independence from both government and the rail companies it regulates. The government has asked the ORR to conduct this inquiry within this framework, which assures the independence of this work. As a result, Her Majesty’s Government is content that there is no adverse impact from the limited board memberships referred to above on the independence of the inquiry.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 12 July (HL9184) refers only to disputes between a transport operator and a union; and what the responsibilities of the Minister of State for Transport in connection with rail industrial relations comprise other than involvement in disputes.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Further to the Written Answer to HL9184, specific ministerial responsibilities are not broken down in this manner. In addition, day to day responsibility for industrial relations and disputes in the rail sector lie with the individual employers, such as transport operators and trades unions. The Minister of State for Transport has no formal role in this relationship.
However, the Minister often meets with officials to discuss policy areas relating to rail industrial relations and receives regular weekly updates on industrial relations disputes. Also, when the Minister meets the industry’s employers, part of that engagement may include an update on their plans for improving industrial relations. In addition, where there are industry-wide questions that could benefit from engagement with trade unions then, where appropriate, the Minister may seek discussion with them. For example, invitations to meet with the Minister have been extended to ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite to discuss the development of an approach for the rail industry to move towards adopting CPI as the inflation measure for industry costs and fare rises. As at 6 September, the Department for Transport has not received any positive responses to these invitations.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the Minister of State for Transport’s time so far this year has been spent in connection with his responsibility for rail industrial relations.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Further to the Written Answer to HL9184, specific ministerial responsibilities are not broken down in this manner. In addition, day to day responsibility for industrial relations and disputes in the rail sector lie with the individual employers, such as transport operators and trades unions. The Minister of State for Transport has no formal role in this relationship.
However, the Minister often meets with officials to discuss policy areas relating to rail industrial relations and receives regular weekly updates on industrial relations disputes. Also, when the Minister meets the industry’s employers, part of that engagement may include an update on their plans for improving industrial relations. In addition, where there are industry-wide questions that could benefit from engagement with trade unions then, where appropriate, the Minister may seek discussion with them. For example, invitations to meet with the Minister have been extended to ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite to discuss the development of an approach for the rail industry to move towards adopting CPI as the inflation measure for industry costs and fare rises. As at 6 September, the Department for Transport has not received any positive responses to these invitations.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations and companies the Minister of State for Transport (1) has met, and (2) is scheduled to meet in connection with his responsibility for rail industrial relations this year; when he saw any organisations and companies in that capacity; and when he is due to see any organisations and companies in that capacity.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Further to the Written Answer to HL9184, specific ministerial responsibilities are not broken down in this manner. In addition, day to day responsibility for industrial relations and disputes in the rail sector lie with the individual employers, such as transport operators and trades unions. The Minister of State for Transport has no formal role in this relationship.
However, the Minister often meets with officials to discuss policy areas relating to rail industrial relations and receives regular weekly updates on industrial relations disputes. Also, when the Minister meets the industry’s employers, part of that engagement may include an update on their plans for improving industrial relations. In addition, where there are industry-wide questions that could benefit from engagement with trade unions then, where appropriate, the Minister may seek discussion with them. For example, invitations to meet with the Minister have been extended to ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite to discuss the development of an approach for the rail industry to move towards adopting CPI as the inflation measure for industry costs and fare rises. As at 6 September, the Department for Transport has not received any positive responses to these invitations.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Department for Transport plays on the Thameslink Industry Readiness Board.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport attends the Thameslink Timetable Industry Readiness Board in its capacity as sponsor of the Thameslink Programme and its responsibility for rail passenger services.