Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help avoid future railway strikes.

The Government is taking immediate steps to support employers and help members of the public by minimising the disruption that they face as a result of the RMT’s strike action.

A Statutory Instrument has now been laid, under the terms of which employment businesses will be able supply workers to replace striking workers. This will also allow trained staff with transferrable skills to move around the rail industry to cover for striking staff to keep the railways running.

We are working at pace to see how any potential legislative change could be delivered, including looking at the introduction of Minimum Service Level Legislation which would provide a mechanism for a minimum level of train service during periods of strike action.