Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to appoint special representatives to attend all Southern Railway board meetings as a result of the decision by the Office for National Statistics to classify train operating companies into the public sector.

The Secretary of State does not plan to appoint special representatives to attend Southern Railway board meetings.

The classification of train operating companies by the Office for National Statistics does not have any direct implications in areas such as ownership, legal status, or management structure.

The Department continues to monitor the delivery of the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) Franchise Agreement, which encompasses the Southern Railway brand.