Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the merits of confirming Network Rail budgets (a) earlier and (b) over a longer period of time; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer meet from time to time to discuss a range of relevant issues. The budget for Control Period 6 starting in April 2019 was set in 2017. In respect of future Network Rail budgets, the Department for Transport is routinely in discussions with Office for Rail and Road and industry partners including the supply chain on how best to build the evidence base needed to take future funding decisions. The ongoing Williams Rail Review is also considering broader structural issues around the rail industry.