Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle strike action which delays commuters.

Since coming into office, the Secretary of State and I have positively changed the tone and facilitated discussions to bring an end to the industrial action.

Negotiations are between industry and the trade unions. RMT and ASLEF decided not to allow their members to have a say on the fair and reasonable offers that were proposed by industry. Instead, they rejected these outright and have pressed on with industrial action that impacts their members and the public. This industrial action will not avoid the need for essential workforce reform.

Together with industry we are keen to press ahead with critical reforms so that we achieve a financially and operationally sustainable rail network that provides a service that passengers deserve.