Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 29 January (HLWS69), what, if any, payments or compensation from public funds will be made to Northern Rail arising from, or following, it being taken into public ownership on 1 March; and what, if any, payments or compensation will be paid by the current operators of Northern Rail to the Government or any other public sector body arising from, or following, it being taken into public ownership.

The financial arrangements for the transfer of services have not been finalised. The Secretary of State intends to hold Arriva, the owning group of Arriva Rail North, to account for their contractual obligations and pursue the rights that arise from the termination of the contract.