Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which franchised train operator paid the highest amount of corporation tax in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

The Department does not hold the actual payment data for each franchised operator. However, the statutory accounts for each franchised operator can be used to provide a proxy for this payment with reference to the “Tax on profit on ordinary activities” in each Income statement and making the assumption that the tax is paid in that year.

On this basis the franchised train operator which paid the highest amount of corporation tax in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2013-14 is as follows

2009/10 West Coast Trains Limited

2010/11 Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited

2011/12 First/Keolis Transpennine Limited

2012//13 Stagecoach South Western Trains Limited

2013/14 Northern Rail Limited