Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 8 June 2020 to Question 49664, how the rolling stock companies agreed to support the industry and the country during the covid-19 pandemic; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the public of that support.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the rolling stock companies have supported the rail industry in a number of ways. They have continued and in some cases accelerated maintenance work for the supply chain. They have ensured prompt payment and in some cases have made advance payments to support the supply chain. They have continued to provide very substantial investment to refurbish fleets, invest in decarbonisation and innovation to benefit both passengers and the wider public. We have seen continued development of low-carbon initiatives such as Porterbrook’s hydrogen-powered HYDROFlex train, Eversholt’s SWIFT express freight train as well as interior refurbishment of the West Coast Pendolino fleet by Angel Trains.