Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to make it a condition of any future extension of the Great Western franchise that an operator must provide full buffet car catering facilities.

The Department published the response to its consultation on the future of the Great Western franchise on 28 August 2018: (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/736146/great-western-rail-franchise-stakeholder-briefing-document.pdf). Decisions on policy on the specification of the next Great Western franchise are informed by this consultation, which did not show strong demand for full buffet car catering facilities.