Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the overall cost to his Department of increasing the cost of regulated national rail fares in line with the retail price index between 2014 and 2020.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 3 June to the Hon Member for Newport West (Paul Flynn), UIN 95

(http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&member=545&uin=95).

In addition I can confirm that we understand that passengers are concerned about the cost of rail fares. That is why we have capped regulated fare increases at RPI for the past two years and will continue to do so for the lifetime of this Parliament. This has resulted in wages rising faster than fares for the first time since 2002. We have also reduced the non-cumulative flex from 5 per cent introduced by Labour to 0 per cent in 2015. 　We will continue this policy for the lifetime of this Parliament.

The Government will continue to place passengers at the heart of our rail policy alongside the record investment of £38.5 billion.