Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the ability of Network Rail to secure the supply of sleepers in control periods (a) 6 and (b) 7.

Network Rail’s inventory of sleepers has been increased over the last 12 months to a position where it has guaranteed supply to meet predicted demand until the end of 2023. Network Rail are currently developing options to secure supply beyond that date.