Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether UK domestic rail policy is being considered as part of the Government's negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

The UK has a fully liberalised rail market and we welcome interest from suitably qualified participants in the market from around the world, including the United States. Domestic rail policy has therefore not been a significant consideration in the negotiations.

However, successful negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will enable UK-based members of the rail supply chain to compete more successfully in the US market. We would like to see relaxation in the ‘Buy America’ policy which inhibits the opportunities for rail exports.