Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that Arriva Rail North Limited has used all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Real Living Wage is paid by suppliers of goods and services as part of that company's delivery of the rail franchise.

Arriva Rail North Limited operates under a franchise agreement which stipulates that the franchisee must use all reasonable endeavours to ensure its suppliers have the Living Wage Accreditation offered by the Living Wage Foundation. Northern has supplied us with the necessary evidence in December 2018 that Northern has maintained its accreditation.