Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of inspections and works in relation to protecting Network Rail infrastructure assets is undertaken by staff (a) directly employed by Network Rail and (b) employed by sub-contractors.

Earthwork inspections are entirely outsourced to specialist engineering contractors on four out of Network Rail’s five regions . Earthwork inspections are partly outsourced on Network Rail’s North West & Central region. As a devolved organisation, the work of these contractors is overseen and quality controlled by Network Rail’s regions.