Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on ensuring the effective control of levels of pay in arm's-length bodies connected to his Department.

Transport bodies deliver complex, nationally important, infrastructure that is critical to building back better – however exceptional pay demands exceptional performance and remuneration must be proportionate. We are firmly focused on addressing the issue of high pay within the transport sector. The overall senior pay bill to taxpayers has reduced this year by over £1 million, and we intend to continue this trend.

Each year, the Cabinet Office publishes transparency data on senior salaries at public sector bodies. Analysis of this data since 2015 for Network Rail, Highways England and HS2 Ltd shows that an overall downward trend in pay awards to these high earners has begun, both in numbers of staff involved and total spend.

The Secretary of State has taken a personal interest in this issue and is bearing down on senior pay at the Department of Transport’s Arms-Length Bodies. This includes agreeing with some CEOs and Chairs voluntary, temporary, pay cuts in the light of current economic circumstances.

Taxpayers must be confident that their money is being spent wisely, with due regard to real-world performance and conditions.