Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration her Department has given to the potential impact of wage inflation on the availability of skilled labour in rail infrastructure, maintenance, and engineering roles.

The railway depends on a thriving and competitive supply chain that supports economic growth and invests in its workforce and the skills required to enable a functioning railway. The Department for Transport monitors capacity within the rail sector through the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) Periodic Review process, which assesses the resources and capability required for Network Rail to deliver its obligations safely and efficiently across each five year control period.