Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2020 to Question 118091 on Railways, what issues have been raised in the most recent senior roundtable meetings by rail trade bodies on their preparedness for the end of the transition period.

Department for Transport (DfT) officials are regularly engaging with key rail stakeholders on a wide range of cross-cutting areas important to the rail industry to ensure they are preparing effectively and appropriately for 1 January 2021.

DfT officials are actively encouraging stakeholders to put forward topics for discussion which are relevant to their businesses and members. Issues which have been raised in the most recent meetings with senior stakeholders include the dual challenges of responding to COVID-19 and preparing for the end of the Transition Period; processes for approving rail technical standards; clarification on labour mobility rules and changes to customs and border arrangements for importation of rolling stock.